Classic American Senate Bean Soup
A version of the classic bean soup recipe has been served in the U.S. Senate dining room for over 100 years. Make your work easier with simple tips.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 1pound dried navy beans , or Great Northern beans
- 3quarts vegetable stock, or broth
- 1ham hock
- 2ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 2large onions, roughly chopped
- 4large celery stalks, chopped
- 4cloves garlic, chopped
- ½cup dry white wine
- ½cup parsley, chopped
- ⅔cup instant mashed potato flakes
Instructions
Step 1
Gather the ingredients.Step 2
Soak the beans in water overnight. Make sure the beans are covered with a couple of inches of water, as they can expand somewhat.Step 3
Drain the beans.Step 4
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, combine the vegetable stock , the drained beans, and the ham hock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer .Step 5
Simmer, covered, for 2 hours, occasionally skimming off any scum that forms on the surface.Step 6
In a separate saucepan, heat the butter over a low-to-medium heat.Step 7
Add the onion, celery, and garlic to the butter and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onion is slightly translucent, stirring more or less continuously.Step 8
Add the wine and cook for another minute or two or until the wine seems to have reduced by about half.Step 9
Add the onion mixture, parsley, and the potato flakes to the soup and simmer for another hour or until the beans are tender.Step 10
Remove the ham hock, pull the meat off the bone, and chop it up.Step 11
Return the chopped meat to the soup. If necessary, add more stock or water to the soup to adjust the thickness.Step 12
Season to taste with kosher salt and white pepper .Step 13
Serve right away and enjoy!