SENATE BEAN SOUP
Source of Recipe
Nita Holleman
List of Ingredients
1 lb prepared white "Great Northern" beans* (senate beans)
Lots of water
2 carrots, scraped, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons oil
1 large Vidalia or, sweet type onion (Bermuda)
2 ribs fresh celery (optional)
2 or 3 cloves fresh garlic, crushed, peeled, finely chopped
2 Knorr vegetable Bouillon Cubes, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder or Onion Magic
1 teaspoon table salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
About 6 Sprigs Fresh Parsley, stems removed, minced, or 2 Tablespoons Dried
Parsley
Paprika for sprinkling
1 or 2 Tablespoons chopped pimento (optional)
Fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)Recipe
Rinse beans with cold water and place them in a 3 quart boiler and fill
boiler half full or more with cold water. Do NOT try to cook beans even
partially, at this stage.
SOAK BEANS IN PLENTY OF COLD WATER OVERNIGHT OR FOR A MINIMUM OF 8 HOURS.
When ready to cook beans, drain off the water they soaked in and discard it.
Place beans in a large pot. Add additional water to cover
beans with about 4 inches of water. DO NOT ADD SALT OR SEASONINGS AT THIS
POINT. Bring beans to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to
medium-low
or low. Cover and cook until beans are VERY tender, about two hours. Add
water as needed.
While beans are cooking, scrape carrots with a vegetable peeler or sharp
knife. Cut off the top end and tips. Cut carrots lengthwise into slices, or
strips. Cut across the strips into small dice. Add to beans.
Peel onion, cut it in quarters. Cut out any hard root core and discard.
Slice and finely chop onion. Reserve.
Cut off tips and root end from 2 ribs (pieces) of fresh celery. Break
celery ribs in about 4 pieces each. Remove any strings. Scrape if needed.
Rinse with cold water, cut into strips lengthwise and then finely chop it
crosswise. Reserve. Tip: Be careful when adding celery to a dish. Too much
will make it taste bland.
Separate 2 or 3 cloves garlic from the bulb of fresh garlic. Crush cloves
with the side of a wide Chef's knife. Remove peelings and discard them (they
will pop off). Finely mince garlic cloves. Reserve.
When beans are cooked and very tender, with a large cooking spoon, crush
them
against the sides of the boiler and continue cooking over low heat.
NOW dissolve the vegetablebouillon cube in water and add to the beans.
Tip: It is IMPORTANT NOT TO ADD SALT TO BEANS BEFORE THEY ARE COOKED TENDER.
If you do, they will be HARD.
Heat a medium frying pan and. add oil Add chopped onion,
and celery (optional). Cook (sweat) over medium-low heat until onion is
somewhat translucent. Do NOT brown. Add and stir in garlic during the last
minute of cooking. Tip: Browning garlic will make it taste bitter.
Add vegetables (onion, optional celery, garlic), to the beans. Stir in well.
Add remaining seasonings (celery salt, onion powder, salt, black pepper).
Cook beans for about 15 minutes longer.
Add minced parsley during last 5 minutes of cooking.
Place soup in serving bowls. Sprinkle lightly with paprika (optional).
Garnish with choice of chopped pimento (optional), chives (optional) or
sprigs of parsley.
Serves 6
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