10 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | NOVEMBER 2014 | COMMUNITY NEWS
1. The day before making the soup,
place the beans in a nonreactive pot
with enough water to cover the beans
by 2 inches. Soak the beans overnight.
2. The next day, add the onion, celery,
tomatoes, garlic, Herbes de Provence
and bay leaves to the pot with the
beans and soaking liquid (add
additional water as needed to keep
the beans submerged). Simmer the
soup for 1½ hours or until the beans
are tender, stirring occasionally and
adding additional water, if needed, to
keep the beans submerged.
3. While the soup is cooking, render the
bacon in a separate pot until crisp.
Stir in the diced ham and remove
from heat.
4. When the beans are just tender, stir
in the bacon and ham, along with the
rendered bacon fat. Add additional
water if desired to thin, and season
with 1½ teaspoons salt and 1
teaspoon pepper, or to taste. Simmer
½ hour, stirring occasionally.
Chef 's Corner
By Randy Balt
Ham &
Bean Soup
IngredIentS
1 lb. dried Great Northern beans
1 lg. yellow onion, finely diced
6 celery ribs, diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
7 cloves garlic, whole
2½ Tbsp. Herbes de Provence
3 bay leaves
1 lg. carrot
1 lb. bacon, chopped
1 lb. ham, diced
Salt and pepper
Ham and bean soup is a classic combination that will be perfect for the cooler months ahead. This hearty version is made with
Great Northern beans that are gently cooked with fragrant vegetables and herbs to a creamy tenderness, with chopped bacon and
ham added toward the end. Enjoy.
Course: Main Meals • Servings: 8-16 • Makes: 4 quarts • Total Time: 2¼ hrs., plus overnight soaking time for the beans
Preparation Time: 10 min • Cooking Time: 2 hrs. • Level of Difficulty: Easy
Each of 16 servings: 281 calories; 15 grams protein; 20 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 15 grams fat;
5 grams saturated fat; 34 mg cholesterol; 1 gram sugar; 907 mg sodium.
dIrectIonS
