Southern Pinto Bean Soup Food

SOUTHERN STYLE PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Cover beans with water and soak overnight, or 6-8 hours.
• In the morning, drain and rinse the beans, discard soaking water, and put beans in slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients, including chicken broth.
• Cover. Cook on low 10 hours, or on High 5 hours.
• Transfer 2 cups of the bean soup to a food processor or blender and puree. Return puree to the slow-cooker. Heat on High an additional 30 minutes. (This is an easy way to thicken the soup.).
• Serve with cornbread and fried potatoes.
• TO PRE-PREP: Combine 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 bay leaf, and store in a plastic storage bag until ready to cook. Having these dry ingredients packaged ahead of time will make seasoning the beans as easy as pouring the seasonings into the slow-cooker along with the beans and chicken broth.
• TO STORE: Bean soups keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to three months. The flavors are even better after standing. When reheating, thin with a little water if necessary.

PINTO BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse beans and sort for stones.
• Soak beans in enough water to cover overnight.
• Drain off water.
• In skillet, brown bacon.
• Add onion and celery, stir.
• Add spices.
• Add this mixture to drained beans.
• Pour enough water to reach within 3 inches of top of pot.
• Bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
• When soup is about ready to serve, use a potato masher to crush up some of the beans to make a thicker soup.

PINTO BEAN/HAM SOUP

Steps:

• Wash and sort beans. Soak in cold water overnight; drain. In a large 8-qt. soup kettle, combine the beans, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, meat and paprika. Add enough water to cover ingredients by 2 in. simmer, partly covered, for 2-1/2 hours or until the beans are tender, adding more water as needed. When beans are tender; remove meat to side dish. , To make Csipetke, mix flour, salt, egg and oil into stiff dough; let rest for 30 minutes. Divide into four parts. Flatten each part and pinch off pieces about the size of a cherry pit; roll between fingers and drop into hot soup. Cook 30 minutes. Blend in sour cream if desired. Mix in parsley and vinegar; adjust seasoning. Cut reserved ham into bite-size pieces; stir into soup.

SOUTHWESTERN PINTO BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a bowl soak beans in water to cover by 2 inches overnight or quick-soak (procedure follows) and drain.
• In a heavy kettle sauté onions and garlic in oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until pale golden. Add bell peppers and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add drained beans and the 6 cups water and simmer, covered partially, until tender, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
• While soup is simmering, in a skillet brown chorizo, in batches if necessary, over moderately high heat and transfer to paper towels to drain. Add chorizo to soup with tomatoes, broth, enchilada sauce, and salt to taste and simmer, covered partially and stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Soup may be made 4 days ahead (cool uncovered before chilling covered).
• Just before serving, stir in lime juice and coriander.
• To quick-soak dried beans:
• In a large saucepan combine dried beans, picked over and rinsed, with triple their volume of cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook beans, uncovered, over moderate heat 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let beans soak 1 hour.