Although it hasn’t been as rainy here in Portland as it normally is in the winter, it’s definitely still soup weather. I made this delicious ham and bean soup today and took it to a lunch gathering. I’m happy to say that there was hardly enough leftover for a photo. The recipe (from the fine folks at Cook’s Illustrated) was inspired by the famous soup that has been served at the U.S. Senate’s restaurant since the early 1900′s.

I used small white beans because the store I was at didn’t have dried navy beans (who knows, they might even be the same thing). I did the quick salt-soaking method for the beans and rinsed them well before adding them to the soup. When the soup was finished cooking, I mashed some beans with a potato masher to thicken the soup. I have to say, I’m already looking forward to making it again! 

U.S. Senate Navy Bean Soup
-recipe from Cook’s Illustrated Soups & Stews (2012)

This soup can easily turn overly salty because of the ham; be sure to use low-sodium broth and taste the soup carefully before seasoning with any salt. Serves 8.

Ingredients
 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ham steak, patted dry and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
4 cups water
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound dried navy beans (2-1/2 cups), picked over, rinsed, salt-soaked, and rinsed again (see below)
1 smoked ham hock, rinsed
2 bay leaves 
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Brown ham on all sides, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion and celery and cook until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in garlic, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in water, broth, soaked beans, ham hock and bay leaves and bring to boil. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are almost tender, 45 to 60 minutes. 

Stir in carrots and 1 teaspoon vinegar and continue to cook, covered in oven until beans and vegetables are fully tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

Remove pot from oven and remove bay leaves. Transfer ham hock to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred meat discarding bone and skin.

Return ham hock meat to soup and heat over medium heat until soup is hot, about 2 minutes. Off heat, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken soup. Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste, and serve. 

Overnight Salt-Soaking Method: Dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt in 16 cups of cold water in a large container or pot. Stir in 1 pound of beans and soak them at room temperature for at least eight hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe.

Quick Salt-Soaking Method: Combine 16 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of salt, and 1 pound of beans in a large Dutch oven and bring them to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let stand for one hour. Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe.

Tags: Cook's Illustrated, ham and bean soup, ham hock, ham steak, navy beans, Senate Bean Soup, Senate restaurant, soup, US Senate Navy Bean Soup, white beans

This is a great soup…simple yet hearty and delicious. I did a few things differently but nothing that would alter the recipe too much. For starters, I used bulk Italian sausage instead of the links. If using bulk sausage, just break it into pieces with a spatula as it browns in the pan. I used a few more carrots than the recipe called for, added 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, and used low-salt chicken broth (Italian sausage and prosciutto can be salty depending on the brand). After letting the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, I added about 3 cups of chopped kale and let it cook for a few minutes until it wilted. You can save a little money by omitting the prosciutto…the soup will still be good without it. If making the soup ahead of time, add the kale (if using) when reheating and let it cook for several minutes before serving; this way the kale should be bright green when you dish up the soup. Adjust seasonings if needed and serve the soup sprinkled with a little parmesan cheese if you like.

Sausage & White Bean Soup  
-from Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by Pam Anderson
Servings: 8

“Most of us enjoy a good pot of ham and bean soup, but often we don’t have a ham bone on hand or the time to soak and simmer dried beans. Minced prosciutto instantly transforms chicken broth into a ham-flavored soup base. Italian sausage reinforces the pork flavor and makes the soup satisfying and substantial. Canned beans work as well as dried ones, and mashing some of them thickens the soup and gives it body.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sweet or hot Italian sausage
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto ham, minced
2 medium onions, cut into medium dice
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into medium dice
2 medium celery stalks, cut into medium dice
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 quart chicken broth
3 cans (16 ounces each) great northern or other white beans, undrained

Heat oil in a large deep pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add sausages and cook, turning once or twice, until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes (sausage will not be fully cooked).  Remove with a slotted spoon; when cool enough to handle, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Meanwhile, add prosciutto, onions, carrots, celery and thyme to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add broth and sausage. Smash 1 can of beans with a fork, then add to soup with remaining beans. Cover, and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, to blend flavors, 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 10 minutes to let flavors develop.

Return soup to a simmer and serve. 

Make-ahead Tip: The cooled soup can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
How can I vary it? Substitute smoked cooked sausage: kielbasa or chorizo. Other varieties of canned beans can be substituted as well.

Tags: italian sausage, Soup/Stew, white beans