Red Bean Soup Recipe
This red bean soup is a vegetable and meat soup. Cooked with smoked ham hocks along with a medley of vegetables, the red bean soup is flavored with garlic and three herb medley of thyme, parsley and bay leaf. Topped with a sour cream dollop, this red bean soup is both filling and delicious.
Ingredients
1 pound dried red kidney beans
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig parsley
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 1/2 quarts water
1 pound smoked ham hocks
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Sour cream for garnish
"Holly leaf" and "berry" cutouts, made from green and red bell peppers (optional)
Directions
Soak beans in 1 quart water in large bowl 6 hours or overnight.
Drain, rinse and set aside.
Tie together thyme and parsley sprigs with thread; set aside.
Heat butter in heavy, large stockpot over medium-high heat until melted and bubbly.
Cook and stir onion in hot butter 3 minutes or until onion is softened.
Add carrots and celery; cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned.
Add 1 1/2 quarts water, beans, ham hocks, bay leaf, garlic and reserved thyme and parsley sprigs.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low.
Cover; simmer 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until beans are softened.
Discard bones from ham hocks, thyme and parsley sprigs and bay leaf.
Stir in salt, and pepper.
Process soup in batches in food processor or blender until smooth.
Return to stockpot.
Heat to simmering; stir in lemon juice and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls.
Garnish with dollops of sour cream (or pipe sour cream in decorative design) and green pepper "holly leaves" and red pepper "berries," if desired.
Drain, rinse and set aside.
Tie together thyme and parsley sprigs with thread; set aside.
Heat butter in heavy, large stockpot over medium-high heat until melted and bubbly.
Cook and stir onion in hot butter 3 minutes or until onion is softened.
Add carrots and celery; cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned.
Add 1 1/2 quarts water, beans, ham hocks, bay leaf, garlic and reserved thyme and parsley sprigs.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low.
Cover; simmer 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until beans are softened.
Discard bones from ham hocks, thyme and parsley sprigs and bay leaf.
Stir in salt, and pepper.
Process soup in batches in food processor or blender until smooth.
Return to stockpot.
Heat to simmering; stir in lemon juice and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls.
Garnish with dollops of sour cream (or pipe sour cream in decorative design) and green pepper "holly leaves" and red pepper "berries," if desired.
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