- 1/3 cup dried black beans
- 1/3 cup dry red kidney beans
- 1/3 cup dried appaloosa or small red beans
- 1/3 cup dried Great Northern beans
- 1/3 cup dried cranberry or pinto beans
- 1/3 cup dried Steuben yellow-eye beans or black-eyed peas
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic
- 2 large onions
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup green or yellow split peas
- 6 cups water
- 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped greens, such as collard, turnip or kale
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh basil
- Pick over and rinse all the beans. Place in a large saucepot and cover with 3 inches of water. Cover and let stand overnight. Drain.
- Rinse and dry the pot. Heat the oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the Italian seasoning and pepper and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the beans, split peas, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. (The black beans will take the longest to cook, so use them as a guide.)
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, greens, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes longer, or until the greens are tender. Stir in the basil.