FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE’S SENATE BEAN SOUP

My subscription to Food Network Magazine has expired, and I decided not to renew.  Though the mag is filled with beautiful photos and lots of recipes, I decided to branch out in other areas.   (My current subscriptions include Bon Appetit, Southern Living, Garden and Gun, Good Housekeeping and Eating Well -- and I love each one.)  

Before my Food Network Magazine (FNM) subscription expired, this recipe for Senate bean soup caught my eye.  According to FNM, this is the original recipe.  Perfect for a cold day, this soup will warm your innards.  Don't leave out the mashed potatoes.  They really make this simple but satisfying soup special.

Food Network Magazine’s Senate Bean Soup Rating:  8.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS:  1 lb. dried navy beans, picked over 1 lb. ham (I used a meaty ham bone left from a spiral-cut ham) 1 large russet potato, peeled and quartered* Sea salt or kosher salt 1/2 cup milk* 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley freshly ground pepper (I used 1/4 tsp. white pepper) Put beans in a large bowl and cover with about 3 times their volume of cold water.  Soak overnight in a cool place.  (I placed beans and water in a large pot over high heat and brought to a boil, then covered, turned heat off and let beans sit for 1 hour.) Drain beans and transfer to large pot or Dutch oven.  Add 10 cups water and ham bone.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook till beans are tender, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.  Transfer ham to a plate to cool slightly, then remove the bone, if used, and dice the meat.  Return meat to pot. Meanwhile, cover potato with water in a saucepan and season with salt.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until potato is fork tender, 20-25 minutes.  Drain potato; transfer to a bowl with milk and mash with potato masher or fork until smooth.  Add to bean soup and stir until combined.  (*I took a shortcut here and used 1-1/4 cups of leftover mashed potatoes.  Since the mashed potatoes already contained milk, I left both the potato and the milk out this time.) Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and parsley and cook till veggies are translucent, 7-10 minutes.  Add veggie mixture to soup, reduce heat to low and cook 1 hour, adding up to 2 more cups water if soup is too thick.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Yield:  8 servings  (Leftovers freeze beautifully.)

ITALIAN CE CE BEAN SOUP

This recipe is Italian soul food. It's what Guy grew up on. I'm Hungarian-German, and my mother was not the world's greatest cook, so I was happy to adopt some great Italian recipes when I married Guy. This soup is easy to make and a great last-minute meal. Have a sandwich or a piece of pizza with it and call it a night. The typical way it's made is with escarole. But on one occasion a few years ago, our local store had no escarole. On a whim, I used Romaine and was pleasantly surprised with the results. If you're looking for a way to use up those outer leaves of Romaine that you usually throw away, this is it.

Italian Ce Ce Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS: 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
1 can drained ce ce beans (chick peas)
1 quart chicken broth (or more if needed)
About 8-10 large leaves of Romaine lettuce or 10-12 large leaves
of escarole, washed, dried and rough chopped
Fresh grated black pepper
Fresh grated Locatelli Romano cheese

DIRECTIONS: In a large (3-1/2 quart or larger) stockpot or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic before the oil is hot. Saute the garlic very briefly, as it burns quickly. Add half a can of the ce ce beans that have been drained. Mash them with a potato masher or fork and just stir briefly with the garlic. Add the chicken broth, stir everything well, and bring to a boil. Add the lettuce which has been washed, dried and rough chopped, as below.

Lightly sprinkle with fresh grated black pepper, stir and let simmer for a few minutes. Add the remaining ce ce beans, simmer for about 5 minutes, no more. Serve in bowls with freshly grated Locatelli Romano cheese. BTW, chick peas are the main ingredient in hummus.