INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh okra, sliced (or 1 cup dried)
2 teaspoons Cavender’s seasoning (optional)
1 quart chicken or seafood stock
1 quart water
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 cups cooked hominy or other corn (canned or frozen is fine)
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas or butter beans (canned or frozen is fine)
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
2 pounds sheepshead fish, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup chopped chives or parsley
Saltines (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a large soup pot, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat and saute the chopped onion, stirring often, until it just begins to color around the edges, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the okra and Cavender’s seasoning and stir well. Saute this for 3 minutes or so if you have fresh or frozen okra. If you are using dried, just mix it around a bit.
Pour in the water, stock and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and add salt to taste. Add the hominy, beans and sausage. Simmer, don’t boil, for 15 minutes.
Add the fish and simmer another 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped chives and serve. If you want to bulk this up a bit, crush Saltines into the soup while eating.
