Senate Bean Soup
The Capitol Hill dining rooms sustain US senators in their constant search for bi-partisan agreement -- and for being voted back into office. Not always an easy balancing act! Making life a little more tolerable when the weather turns really cold is the now famous Navy Bean Soup introduced at Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge's insistence. This is very hearty and healthy -- and, I guess, bi-partisan! You can use several different types of beans for an attractive mottled appearance.
1 pound smoky ham hock
1 bay leaf
3 whole cloves
1 pound navy beans, rinsed, picked over and soaked overnight
1/2 teaspoon non-aromatic olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, bashed and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/4 inch dice
2 ribs celery, cut in 1/4 inch dice
1 medium russet potato, peeled and cut in 1/4 inch dice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon summer savory
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1. Cover the ham hock with 8 cups water in a large kettle. Toss in the bay leaf and cloves and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. (You can do this step in a pressure cooker with the same ingredients and cooked for 30 minutes.)
2. Strain the resulting stock into a fat strainer to remove the fat. Pour the defatted liquid back into the soup kettle, adding water to make 8 cups. Add the beans, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer another 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender but not mushy. (This too can be accomplished in a pressure cooker. Check the manufacturers instructions for time.)
3. Cut the meat from the ham hock to put into the soup later and discard the fat, skin and bone.
4. Heat the oil in a chef's pan or skillet on medium high. Saut the onion for 2 minutes and then add the garlic, carrots, celery and potato. Cook for 3 more minutes before adding to the cooked beans. Stir in the cumin and savory and simmer 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
5. Spoon 2 cups of the bean mixture into a blender and whiz until smooth. Return to the soup and stir in the reserved meat, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve with more chopped parsley.
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