Wye Bean Soup

[siglinde99]

I'm parking this here in case I lose the little piece of paper that came with the bean pack. It was a fundraiser for the Midland Penetanguishene Field Naturalists Club (www.csolve.net/~mpfnc) I had purchased last year. When I had a leftover pork bone and there was a serious risk of frost, I decided it could be a summer dish. I would not have expected a bean soup to have chili powder and lemon, but it was really nice. The beans included lentils, black eyed peas, some little green thingies (mung?), - pretty much everything I have ever seen at the store except kidney, romano and black - and probably some I have never seen before. Eyeballing the bag, I would guess I had about 2 cups of dried beans. This would be a great way to use up the bits and bobs of legumes that don't get used in a recipe.

Wash and sort beans; cover with salted (2 tbsp.) water in large kettle, and let stand overnight. Rinse and drain beans, put in pot with 2 qts water and a ham bone/hock or smoked turkey part. Or use any stock you desire. Bring the mixture to boil, simmer gently for 2-3 hours, then add 1 large chopped onion, 1 large can tomatoes, 1 red pepper pod or 1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder, 1 clove garlic, 1 bay leaf, juice from 1/2 lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Optional: any other meat, vegetables of flavouring. Simmer 1 1/2 - 2 more hours. Leftovers can be frozen.

Comments

[song-of-copper.livejournal.com]

Mmm, this sounds really good! Plus it reminds me of a terrible old joke:

"Waiter, waiter, what kind of soup is this?"
"It's bean soup, sir."
"I don't want to know what it's been! I want to know what it is now!"

...Groan. >.<

[siglinde99.livejournal.com]

Groaning here too!

[shyska.livejournal.com]

I've not tried using a smoked turkey part in soup instead of a soup bone, bouillon, or neither. Nor am I used to soaking beans in salty water. Both good ideas, thanks for sharing your soup adventure details.