Peasant Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
| Great northern beans | 1 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), dried | |
| 4 tablespoons bacon fat or lightly salted butter | ||
| 1 cup finely chopped yellow onions | ||
| 3 leeks, white part only, thoroughly cleaned and thinly sliced | ||
| 2 celery ribs, cleaned and coarsely chopped | ||
| 3 carrots, peeled and chopped | ||
| Dried thyme | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Bay Leaf | 1 | |
| 8 cups Chicken Stock or Beef Stock or a combination of the two | ||
| 3 parsnips, peeled and chopped 1 ham hock | ||
| 1/2 small white cabbage, shredded | ||
| Garlic | 4 Clove (5gm), chopped | |
| Italian parsley | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), chopped | |
| Ground black pepper | 1 To taste | |
| Salt | To Taste | |
Directions
Sort through the beans and discard any pebbles you may find.
Soak the beans overnight in water that covers them by 3 inches.
Melt the bacon fat or butter in a heavy soup pot.
Add onions, leeks, celery and carrots and cook, covered, over low heat until vegetables are tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the thyme, bay leaf and a grinding of black pepper, and pour in the stock.
Add parsnips, ham hock and soaked beans, and bring the soup to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until beans are tender, about 40 minutes.
Remove ham hock and allow it to cool slightly.
Cut the meat off the bone, cut it into chunks, and return meat to the pot.
Add cabbage, garlic and parsley, and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Taste, correct seasoning (add salt at this point if soup needs it)
Soak the beans overnight in water that covers them by 3 inches.
Melt the bacon fat or butter in a heavy soup pot.
Add onions, leeks, celery and carrots and cook, covered, over low heat until vegetables are tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the thyme, bay leaf and a grinding of black pepper, and pour in the stock.
Add parsnips, ham hock and soaked beans, and bring the soup to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until beans are tender, about 40 minutes.
Remove ham hock and allow it to cool slightly.
Cut the meat off the bone, cut it into chunks, and return meat to the pot.
Add cabbage, garlic and parsley, and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Taste, correct seasoning (add salt at this point if soup needs it)
Chef
