COMMENT:
Nothing is healthier or more comforting than a navy bean soup when prepared with lean ham rather than a fat ham hock or sausage. This light recipe has less sodium and is perfect for a cold January night.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound dried navy beans
- 1 cup onions, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup potatoes, diced
- 1 cup cabbage, chopped
- 1/2 cup elbow macaroni
- 2 cups lean ham, diced
- 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
- hot sauce to taste
METHOD:
Rinse the beans under cold running water. You may wish to soak the beans in cold water overnight to cut the cooking time by one-third. Place the beans in a large cast iron Dutch oven and cover by 2 inches with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook approximately 1 hour or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Add onions, celery, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, macaroni and ham. Blend well into the bean mixture and cook 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to add water to retain desired consistency. Add green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, pepper and hot sauce. NOTE: When stirring beans during the cooking process, mash approximately half of the beans by pressing the cooking spoon against the inside of the pot. This will give the navy bean soup a creamy consistency. |
