Ingredients
- 1 lb. navy beans, rinsed and picked over
- 2 smoked ham hocks
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2 medium celery ribs, finely chopped
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
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U.S. Senate Bean Soup
Time: 10 minutes prep, 2 hours cook
Servings: 8-10 bowls
Directions
- Soak beans overnight covered by at least 2 inches cold water. If there's not enough time, place in a soup pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour.
- Drain beans. Return to pot. Add 2 quarts cold water, ham hocks, bay leaf, and garlic. Bring to boil and add potatoes. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
- Stir in onions, celery, and carrots. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes longer, or until beans are soft.
- Remove ham hocks to a plate to cool. Remove 2 cups soup to a small bowl. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir back into pot. When hocks are cool enough to handle, remove meat and finely chop. Return meat to pot. Stir in parsley, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper. Reheat if necessary and and taste for salt, adding remaining 1/4 tsp. if needed. Remove and discard bay leaf before serving.
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Summary
This is the family recipe brought to the Senate restaurant in Washington, D.C. by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. From the "365 All-American Favorites" cookbook by Sarah Reynolds.
