Hillbilly many bean soup

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
---- BEAN MIX ------
Go to the supermarket with
A bulk section or natural
Foods co-op. Buy equal
Quantities of every dried
Bean you see: lentils, split
Peas,calico, aduki, orange
Lentils, any and all! When
You get home, mix all the
Beans fearlessly. Ten
Varieties is the min, 16 -
20 is not uncommon. ---- HERB MIX --------
½ cup DRIED PARSLEY
¼ cup + 2 T dried summer savory
¼ cup Cumin seeds
2 tablespoons Ea. fennel seeds, caraway
Seeds, dill seeds, cracked
Coriander seeds, sweet basil
And dried chervil
1 tablespoon Ea. celery seeds, dried
Thyme (lemon thyme, if
Available), lavender, sweet
Marjoram
½ teaspoon To 1 t cayenne pepper mix it all and store -- --------- SOUP ----------
2 cups Bean Mix, washed
7 cups Any well-flavored vegetable or chicken stock, or water if using soup bone
1 Soup bone, such as a bone from smoked ham, cured pork shoulder, or ham hock
1 Bay leaf
1 Fresh or dried chili
2 tablespoons Herb Mix
1 large Onion
2 larges Cloves garlic, pressed or more if you like
Salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper
1 can Whold tomatoes with their juice, coarsely pereed in a food processor
1 medium Carrot, scrubbed or peeled and sliced
1 Rib celery with leaves, sliced
2 mediums Potatoes, scrubbed and finely diced
4 ounces Fresh green beans, trimmed and sliced
2 teaspoons Pickapeppa or Worcestershire
1 dash Honey
Minced fresh parsley or other green herb, for garnish

Directions

1. In a large heavy soup pot, soak the beans in stock or water to cover overnight. (If using chicken stock, refrigerate) 2. The next day add enough of the remaining stock or water to cover the beans by 1 or 2 inches. Add the soup bone if using, the bay leaf, and chili. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to very low and let simmer, covered, until the beans are tender, 1 to 3 hours depending on the type of bean.

3. Add the remaining ingredinets except the parsley. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

4. If using the suup bone, take it out, bick off any meat that clings to the bone, and return it to the soup. Take out the bay leaf and chili. mash a couple cups of beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the soup slightly. Serve hot, garnished with the parsley. This suop is even better the next day.

From: The Dairy Hollow House / Soup & Bread, page 191 Submitted By BRENT WILLIAMS On 11-21-94

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