The Conservative Cave
Interests => All Things Edible (and how to prepare them) => Topic started by: Disgusted in Euclid on December 14, 2011, 01:08:46 PM
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With cold weather coming and all, my thoughts turn to soup.....
I usually make some pretty good soups, but for the life of me, I can't seem to make a decent Navy Bean soup - either the beans turn to complete mush, or are just kind of hard - I just can't seem to get a good consistency.....help????
Also, does anyone have an opinion of whether to cook the beans separately from the broth and then combine all ingredients? I usually use a ham hock or two, cold water, a few Bay Leaves, a dash or two of hot sauce or hot Paprika, onion, carrot and celery for the broth, but generally, it's kind of blah - anyone here use anything different to kind of kick it up a bit?
Any suggestions would be welcome!
:cheersmate:
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With cold weather coming and all, my thoughts turn to soup.....
I usually make some pretty good soups, but for the life of me, I can't seem to make a decent Navy Bean soup - either the beans turn to complete mush, or are just kind of hard - I just can't seem to get a good consistency.....help????
Also, does anyone have an opinion of whether to cook the beans separately from the broth and then combine all ingredients? I usually use a ham hock or two, cold water, a few Bay Leaves, a dash or two of hot sauce or hot Paprika, onion, carrot and celery for the broth, but generally, it's kind of blah - anyone here use anything different to kind of kick it up a bit?
Any suggestions would be welcome!
:cheersmate:
I use about the same ingredients you do, although I use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water. For 1 lb of beans, I will soak from dinner time to breakfast the next am. I get my big ole honking crock pot in, and toss in the beans, carrots, onion (I use at least one) and celery. If I don't have ham hocks, I will use regular smoked ham cubed. I add salt and pepper, bay leaves (at least 3 or 4) and I will toss in a whole mess of fresh rosemary too. And Garlic. Fill the pot with broth to an inch, inch and a half over everything. I started using cheesecloth bags, as the leaves kind of disintegrate. Cook for a minimum of 10 hours, usually 12, and sometimes even a whole day. Then, I take my potato masher and mash around in there to get the soup really thick. If it isn't thick enough, I will toss in a little instant potato.
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I use about the same ingredients you do, although I use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water. For 1 lb of beans, I will soak from dinner time to breakfast the next am. I get my big ole honking crock pot in, and toss in the beans, carrots, onion (I use at least one) and celery. If I don't have ham hocks, I will use regular smoked ham cubed. I add salt and pepper, bay leaves (at least 3 or 4) and I will toss in a whole mess of fresh rosemary too. And Garlic. Fill the pot with broth to an inch, inch and a half over everything. I started using cheesecloth bags, as the leaves kind of disintegrate. Cook for a minimum of 10 hours, usually 12, and sometimes even a whole day. Then, I take my potato masher and mash around in there to get the soup really thick. If it isn't thick enoeaugh, I will toss in a little instant potato.
OMG, how could I have forgotten about using chicken broth :banghead:......that's what I use to perk up split pea soup - thanks for the reminder!
Rosemary - that sounds really good!
Now, do you generally use Navy beans or the small white beans? I've tried both, and now I can't remember which one I liked better.
Don't you love the crock-pot? I don't know what I'd do without mine!
Thanks for the tips!
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I live in Texas. It is hard to find dried navy beans, but I get them when I can. Usually I get Great Northern Beans, which I think are smaller, but I still call it navy bean soup. It is my favorite to make.
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Mrs. D does it this way:
Soak dried beans overnight in cold water. In the morning drain, and place in a pressure cooker, or large pot. Add cubed ham, or scraps form a ham bone, salt and pepper, chopped onion, a bit of chopped celery, 2 chicken bullion cubes. Bring to a boil, and then turn back to simmer.....add a tanlespoon of barbeque sauce, let simmer until the beans are the consistancy you want.....then add a tablespoon of flour to thicken, set aside....warm and serve later.
doc
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Speaking of perking up soups, a little old Italian lady told me once, that when you're boiling up your turkey carcass for soup, throw a beef soupbone in there as well, as the turkey alone is just too blah. I substitute beef broth if I don't have a bone.
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I prefer puree'ing or taking out some of the beans and mashing them instead of adding potatoes. Not that you would be able to tell by tasting it. It's just my personal preference.
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How about using crumbled bacon as a topping? :-)
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I prefer puree'ing or taking out some of the beans and mashing them instead of adding potatoes. Not that you would be able to tell by tasting it. It's just my personal preference.
I agree with you there. Sometimes I am just lazy that way.
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JEFF’S BEAN SOUP
INGREDIENTS
1 pound dried Great Northern beans
1 meaty ham bone or 2-3 smoked ham hocks
3 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup mashed potatoes or 1/3 cup instant potato flakes
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Salt & pepper to taste, parsley or chives for garnish
Soak beans according to package directions, usually overnight.
Place beans and enough water to cover in a saucepan; bring to boil and boil for 2 minutes. Drain & rinse beans, place in large kettle, add ham bone or hocks and 3 quarts water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer for 2 hours. Skim fat if necessary. Add other ingredients and simmer for another hour. Remove bone or hocks to cut meat from them. Dice meat and return meat to kettle. Simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally.
Serves 8.
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Well, my method is a little more traditional.
I start out by sorting the beans first (dontcha hate it when you chomp down on a pebble and break a tooth? Don't laugh - it's happened) then soaking overnight in some water, as already described.
Then, in a stockpot, sweat a mirepoix (onions, celery, carrot) in some olive oil. Add chicken stock or turkey stock or even veggie stock -- plain water is just plain plain.
Stay away from the salt for awhile, especially if you're going to add a ham hock or salt pork. Add all the pepper you want, though. Other herbs? Hey, go hog wild. Rosemary sounds good, but dill? Probably not.
Simmer the ham hock for at least an hour before adding your soaked and drained beans. Add more diced mirepoix and potato, if desired. Continue simmering till the beans are done - it really shouldn't be that long, maybe an hour to 90 minutes.
If desired, you can remove some beans and puree/mash to thicken, or just leave it as is. I like leaving 'em as is. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with some crusty, buttered peasant bread.
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Thank you all for so many great sounding suggestions - all are very much appreciated and welcome!
:)
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Personally, I think that carrots are a must-have ingredient, as I really like the color. Otherwise, it's just beige.
Something else that brightens up these legume soups is a squirt of lemon juice as it's served. That's really good with lentil soup.