Simple Depression Navy Bean Soup Food

MOM'S SIMPLE NAVY BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Pick over the beans, removing any small stones or beans that just don't look "right".
• Cover the beans with water in a crockpot (this is usually 2-3 cups of water).
• Now put the remaining ingredients in a soup pot or crockpot and simmer for another few hours.
• Mom usually mashes a cup or two of the beans to thicken the soup, but you don't need to do this if you prefer a clear broth.
• Remove the ham hocks and carefully pick apart, removing the tiny bits of meat from the bones.
• Return the meat to the soup.
• Throw out the bones, gristle and skin from the ham hocks.
• If you've put the hocks in cheesecloth, it helps to keep the little bones that can resemble beans from making their way into the soup as the hocks tend to disintegrate during cooking.
• If the soup has cooled considerably, get the heat back up and serve.

NAVY BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes; remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for one hour. Drain and reserve. Tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine.
• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven combine the beans, herb bundle, hocks, onions, and garlic with the water. Bring to a boil, cover, and adjust the heat so the soup cooks at a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring in the carrots after 1 hour, until the beans and hock are completely tender, about 1 1/2 hours total.
• Turn off the heat and remove the hocks. Cool slightly. Remove the meat from the hocks, discarding the bones, fat, and skin. Cut the meat into small cubes. Remove the herb bundle and discard.
• Puree about 3 cups of the beans with a some of the liquid in a blender. (For a smoother soup, puree all the beans.) Stir the puree and diced meat into the soup. Heat the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.
• Pour into heated bowls, place a small pat of butter on top of each soup, and serve.

SIMPLE "DEPRESSION" NAVY BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Soak beans overnight according to package directions.
• Pour off extra water.
• Add water to about 2 inches or more over the beans (depending on how"soupy" you want it).
• Can saute the vegetables first if you want to get fancy or just throw them in the pot with all the other ingredients, except the mashed potatoes.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer until the beans are tender---the longer the better.
• Add dried mashed potatoes gradually to bring soup to desired thickness.
• Serve with crackers (oyster crackers are good).

BEST EVER NAVY BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Pick over and wash beans. Soak overnight in water in large cooking kettle. In morning, add onions, garlic, celery and ham bone. Put kettle on medium heat, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 3-4 hours More water may be needed but should be quite thick. Taste soup and season: salt needed will depend on ham bone's contribution.

MOM'S NAVY BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Wash and pick over beans.
• Cover with water and soak overnight (or boil for 10 minutes and let sit for an hour).
• Discard soaking water, rinse beans and put in a large soup pot.
• Add the 8 cups of water and bring to a boil.
• Cover tightly and reduce heat to a low simmer.
• Add carrots.
• In a non-stick pan saute onion in balsamic vinegar until it carmelizes (this takes a while on low heat).
• Add garlic, celery leaves, and bell pepper.
• Continue sauteing, adding more liquid as necessary.
• When the mixture has cooked down somewhat, add it to the beans.
• Add the remaining ingredients except the miso.
• Stir in the miso and simmer from 1 to 2 more hours (depending on when you're ready to eat and if you can resist the aroma).
• Remove bay leaves.

MY FAVORITE NAVY BEAN SOUP...SO EASY TO PREPARE!

Steps:

• Wash beans in a colander.
• Sort beans, discarding stones and blemished beans.
• Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch.
• Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Boil for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.
• Drain beans and return to saucepan.
• In food processor bowl fitted with slicing blade, slice carrots, celery and onion.
• Add carrot-vegetable mixture to beans in saucepan.
• Add 6 cups water.
• Bring mixture to a simmer over high heat.
• Replace slicing food processor blade with metal blade.
• Add ham (or bacon) and pulse until chopped.
• Add ham or bacon to saucepan.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender, about 1 and 1/2 hours.
• Add sugar, to taste.
• Add salt, white pepper, and pinch of ground nutmeg.
• Serve soup in heated bowls.
• If desired, add 1/2 t sour cream or creme fraice to top each serving, or.
• add dollop of sherry to each serving.
• Enjoy.

HEARTY NAVY BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse and sort beans; soak according to package directions., Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. Place in a Dutch oven. Add the tomatoes with juice, onion, ham hock, broth, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 1-1/2 hours., Add more water if necessary. Remove ham hock and let it stand until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bone; discard bone. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces; set aside. (For a thicker soup, cool slightly, then puree beans in a food processor or blender and return to pan.) Return ham to soup and heat through. Garnish with parsley if desired.