Senate Bean Soup
My friends, this soup is a variation of the famous bean soup served in the Senate Dining room. I’ve seen references for it dating back to 1903.
I made a batch in preparation for election night. Think about it: a bowl of this soup is loaded with Pork, and after consuming it there is a fair chance you too will be full of hot gas. It is a truly tasty soup and there isn’t anything better on a cold night.
Ingredients:
½ Lb. Bacon, diced (I use nitrate free, available from the commissary.)
2 medium yellow onions, diced
5 cups low sodium chicken stock
5 cups water
1 Lb. Dried Navy beans, soaked overnight (Please put aside inter-service rivalries here, we are all going to need to work together)
2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced.
1 smoked ham hock (can substitute 1-2 cups chopped ham)
6-7 stalks celery with leaves, diced
2 bay leaves
1 pinch Thyme
Jess Hall’s Season salt to taste (about ½-1 teaspoon, thank you TS)
Bunch fresh parsley, minced
Procedure:
Soak the beans over night and discard excess water the following day (I often forget this step. It means you will need to simmer the soup a little longer.).
In a large pot, render out the fat from the bacon while browning over medium-low. Skim as much fat off as possible and discard. Add onions and cook until translucent, the juice from the onions can be used to ‘deglaze’ the good brown stuff from the bottom of the pot. Add the stock, water, and other ingredients through season salt. Be careful with the season salt – the bacon and ham hock will likely add more salt to the soup as it cooks—you may want to wait to add the season salt until you know how salty it will be. Cover and simmer until the beans are soft, around 4 hours (I use a slow cooker and let it cook all day). You may need to add a little more water as the soup cooks down.
Once the beans are soft, remove ham hock and set aside. Remove the Bay leaves and discard. Blend the soup until thick and creamy (I use a stick blender or transfer to a blender and then return to your soup pot). Remove the bone from the ham hock, rough chop the remaining meat, and return meat to the soup. Bring up to serving temperature, add minced parsley, and serve with Tabasco™.
It is easier to make than it sounds, and well worth the effort; so be sure to get your share of pork this election.
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