Middle Eastern Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Until recently, when I thought of black-eyed peas what came to mind was soul food: greens and potlikker nestled alongside the black-eyed peas, or Hoppin’ John, that Southeastern American dish of rice and the small, black and white pulses: homey and hearty, but scarcely exotic.

Then I tasted Texas ‘caviar’, black-eyed peas tossed in vinaigrette with lots of green chillies, and suddenly the humble pea had possibilities. I was ready when a friend from the Middle East commented on my la