Bean soup
1 bag white beans
1 bag pink beans
1/2 bag red beans
Pick over the beans (I always find rocks), then soak overnight. Drain water, and soak again for
at least an hour; drain beans before adding to soup.
4 yellow onions, diced
12 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 T. olive oil
Heat oil and gently saute onions and garlic in a large (12 qt), heavy-bottom stockpot until translucent.
3 carrots, diced
1 head (you know, all the stalks) celery, diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded, diced, and pith removed
2 red peppers, seeded, diced, and pith removed
1 tomato, diced with seeds removed (optional)
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
1/2 cup fresh flat parsley, minced
1 teaspoon tarragon
4 small bay leaves
6 slices cooked bacon, diced
4 32 oz. cartons of good chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics)
32 oz. warm water
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
Sauté the sausage until brown, breaking into small pieces as you cook; then set aside.
Add the veggies to the onions and stir to coat. Add herbs, and bacon, then add chicken stock and water. Add about half the
beans, bring to a boil, then add sausage, the rest of the beans, and water.
Simmer covered for 1 hour, stirring regularly and removing foam and fat from top of pot.
Simmer another 60-90 minutes, stirring often to ensure soup doesn't stick to pot--and that veggies and beans are tender. If you
like tomatoes in your bean soup, you should add them about 30 minutes before it's done; otherwise, the beans can get tough. If
you like green in your bean soup, stir in a bag of fresh baby spinach about 5 minutes before you eat. Yum!
Remove bay leaves before eating. Adjust salt and pepper at table.
