HEARTY BEAN SOUP

 

 

Hearty Bean Soup

 

BEAN SOUP a dish we grew up with, so many good memories of our family

and Grandmother as well as those extended family members or guests that

would stop in for a visit.  Sitting at the table with 'everyone' gathered around

all the chatter, 'catch up' and laughing.  Mom's freshly baked  bread and homemade

cheese and butter to be savoured with this aromatic and filling soup. We would

sometimes add freshly grated horseradish (that my Dad grew and made) to this soup.

We also would butter the homemade bread and top it with sliced onions which

we then drizzled with vinegar and sprinkled with coase salt. 

It sure would clear those sinuses and add a lovely kick!  The beans

were grown by my parents in their wonderful garden, dried and stored for later use.

So many memories of all of us around the table in the kitchen.

Many stories were told by the adults, and us children would just absorb it all.

No television was needed, no computers just the familiar voices  of our family.

This bean soup is still a favorite with both our family and our friends.

 

 

Bean  Soup ready to eat.

 

 

 Ingredients you will need.

 

Butter melting in my saucepan.

 

Onions sauteed and tomatoes joining the melted butter,

to simmer for several minutes.

 

Water measured and being brought to a boil.

To this the quartered potatoes and

 half the cream and half of the tomato/onion

mixture will be added.

 

Potatoes  are tender and removed into a bowl with

the rest of the cream for mashing.

 

Potatoes diced waiting to be added at the last 10 minutes of cooking.

 

All ingredients have been added and  soup is brought

back up to a boil.

The completed Bean Soup ready to be poured into bowls

and eaten.  The  extra can be poured into sterilized jars

and sealed for later.  

 

Jarred soup cooling down and ready to be stored

in the fridge for later use.

 

 

BEAN SOUP RECIPE

This recipe is based on the one from the Hospitality Cookbook.

It  makes a lot but is easily cut in half for a smaller batch..

 

16 cups  water

1 1/2 Tbsp salt

2 large carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

5 cups  cooked beans with liquid (beans of  your choice)

3 cups potatoes, quartered 

1 cup potatoes, diced

2 cups tomatoes, canned

3/4 cups onion, chopped

1 cup butter

1/2 - 1 cup cream

black pepper

 

In a large pot add water and bring to a boil.

Add salt, carrots, celery, 4 cups of the beans and

the quartered potatoes.Bring to a boil and simmer

until the potatoes are tender.

In a large frying pan add 1/4 cup of the butter, add the onions

and saute until they soften, add the canned tomatoes and

let simmer 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

. When the water comes back to

a boil, add 1/2 t he cream and 1/2 of the tomato onion mixture.

Remove the   quartered potatoes to a bowl and add back the

diced potatoes and the reserved 1 cup of beans and liquid.

 Let this boil for a few more minutes while you

mash the potatoes in the bowl  adding the rest of the tomato/onion

mixture and mashing it all together.

Add this to the boiling water. 

 Bring to a boil once again and shut off heat.

Season with pepper and more salt if desired.

Serve with homemade bread, cheese and perhaps some prepared horseradish.

 

 

'Each day I am thankful for .....

Nights that turned into mornings....

Friends that turned into family.....

Dreams that turned into reality....

And Likes that turned into Love.'