Recipe: White Bean Soup

Title: White Bean Soup
Categories: Soups, Beans
Servings: 8

1 lb Dried white beans
2 tb Unsalted butter
1/4 c Olive oil
4 Leeks, well washed and
-chopped (1 1/2 cups)
4 lg Cloves garlic, finely
-chopped
2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
-(1 cup)
2 Stalks celery, chopped (2/3
-cup)
1 1/2 To 2 lb smoked ham hocks (2
-or 3), excess fat removed
4 c Beef broth, homemade or
-canned
2 c Chicken broth, homemade or
-canned
2 c Water
1/2 ts Chopped fresh sage leaves OR
-1/8 tsp dried
1 Bay leaf
Chopped parsley (optional)

Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover. OR place in a large
saucepan, cover with cold water, heat to boiling and boil for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour, covered. Drain.

Heat the butter with the oil in a large, heavy suacepan or Dutch oven over
medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic,
carrot and celery; cook for 5 minutes. Add the drained beans, ham hocks,
beef and chicken broths, water, sage and bay leaf. Bring to boiling. Lower
heat and simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the heat and
let cool slightly. Discard the bay leaf. Remove the ham hocks and cut off
the meat; chop into pieces and set aside.

Place 4 cups of the bean mixture, in 2 batches, in a food processor or
blender. Whirl until smooth puree. Stir back into the soup. Add the
reserved ham pieces. Reheat until warmed through. Serve, sprinkled with
parsley, if you wish.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrient Value per Serving: 375 Calories; 21 g Protein; 27 mg Cholesterol;
15 g Fat; 41 g Carbohydrate; 1120 mg Sodium Exchanges: 2 starch/bread, 2
vegetable, 1 1/2 medium-fat meat, 1 1/2 fat

[FAMILY CIRCLE; Nov 6, 1990]

Posted by Fred Peters.