MY FAVORITE HOMEMADE BEAN SOUP

Winter is the perfect season to reach for a bowl of soup. There are reasons aplenty to proffer in this regard. It strengthens the body. Liquor may be quicker to warm and numb, but is it healthy? I don’t think so. Soup is liquid, too, and may also contain tiny to small pieces of solids. What are these solids? They are strenthening foods, such as carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, and– let your imagination be your guide! The liquid part is quickly up and running inside you. You will be so quickly restored that you’ll be fussing with your spouse over tv channels before you realise you’ve been restored.

Soup may be selected from a wide variety of choices. Even though it is winter, you are certainly within your rights to enjoy a chilled potato soup and the like. There should be no qualms about indulging in a red-meat soup, a fowl soup (please note spelling), or a fish soup. A vegetarian is in his element with soup. Let’s face it: Soup is great!

Now, today, I want to focus on bean soup. I will share my first love amongst soups. My favorite bean soup combines two beans, black bean and navy bean. However, at this juncture, I want to point out that my choice of beans need not be yours, nor my limit of two types of bean your limit. Five, seven, nine kinds of beans can just as properly go into the soup du jour. Taste and availability are the shaping aspects of one’s choice. Having said this, I prefer the two mentioned and will proceed to describe my quick and easy method of soup preparation.

First, one obtains the key ingredients, black beans and navy beans, which are easily obtained in bulk at most supermarkets and certainly at Whole Foods. For those, who are inclined, organically grown beans may be had. While at the supermarket and according to tastes, one is well advised to complete the shopping for ingredients to enhance the final soup product.

As it is tedious to deal with a batch of whole, dry beans, my next step is to get two plastic storage bowls, grab the two bags of dried beans, and march over to my coffee bean grinder. My technique requires grinding one kind of bean, placing the powdery remnant in one of the plastic containers, and continuing this process until all of the beans of that kind are ground.

I wipe the interior of the coffee grinder and then proceed to the next kind of bean. Why not just mix them as one grinds? Certainly, one can do that. Since I like black bean soup alone, however, I keep the powders separate. By this approach I increase my options, including degree of mix on those occasions I choose to mix.

When all the beans have been ground and placed in their respective containers, I put the lid on and place them in the refrigerator until I’m ready to use them.

In terms of cooking, the rendering of whole dried beans to power hastens the soup preparation. It also makes it possible to sprinkle some bean power into other food mixes. By this means wholesome protein may be introduced to dishes that are otherwise low in protein. This rendering of dried beans to powder quite simply provides both a speedier cooking of this food and increases the potential for variety in ones cooking routine.

Some may experiment with the simultaneous addition of  “beano” to this new manner of cooking with legumes.

Now, when it is time to prepare that soup which is the object of all this preparation, one begins with boiling water. This may be “tap” water. Some, however, may use bottled water. A few may cook utilizing distilled water. The latter options will, of course, increase the cost of the soup a bit, but this may be felt justified by health considerations.

Before the water is boiling (I use my Turbo Steamer), I introduce the basic herbal choices for the meal. I may also add finely diced garlic and onion at this time. The introduction time varies somewhat according to taste and texture requirements. When the soup has reached a boil, I introduce the powered bean(s). This mix is given a proper stirring, and I allow it to reach a good boil again, before I lower the “flame.” It is allowed to cook at the lower range a few minute, stirred, and cook a bit more, stirred, and so on. The initial amount of water is subjective. Naturally, the more the water, the more diluted the soup. To overcome too much water, one must let it “brew” longer. This will somewhat compromise the concept of speedier soup preparation.

At the time of serving, one may consider additional options such as a dash of lemon juice (or slice) or a teaspoon of chilled onions. Salt and pepper additions may occur at any time, but the earlier the better seems wise.

Soup is a wonderfully hardy and tasty food. Why waste time with a tough old bean? Grind it!

All rights reserved. Gobigfoot, 2007