Swedish Brown Bean Soup

Well, it appears that our rare, sunny streak in San Francisco has come and gone. Now back to the cool, foggy perfect-for-soup weather that we know and love. And, Spring cabbage abounds, so what better excuse to try a new heirloom bean and cabbage soup?

For this recipe (you may want to double this recipe if you want leftovers!) we used :
1/2 pound Swedish brown beans, soaked in cold water for 2 hours before cooking
6 slices high-quality bacon
3 cups sliced green cabbage
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

Put the beans and their soaking liquid in a soup pot and add enough cold water to cover by one inch. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently until the beans are about halfway done, 45-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skilled over medium heat, saute the bacon until the fat is nearly rendered but the bacon has not begun to brown, about 8 minutes. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp of the fat, leaving the bacon in the pan.

 Add the cabbage and toss with the bacon fat to coat. Cook the cabbage over medium heat until wilted and beginning to brown, 6-8 minutes. Add the cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. Stir and toss for 1-2 minutes.

 Mmmm...molasses...

 Add the cabbage, bacon, molasses, brown sugar, and 1 tsp salt to the beans. Cook uncovered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Add water if the soup is too thick.

 In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and parsley. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the lemon zest mixture.

Enjoy!

Soup for One

With Bill in Texas, I've had to adjust to cooking for one. Recently, I've gotten into the routine of making a big pot of soup to get me through the week's dinners.

I start by putting 8 ounces of dry beans in my crockpot. High-heat for one hour, then let them cook for about 3 hours on low heat (or until tender...I try to avoid mushy beans).

The base for my soup du jour, is always mirepoix (a simple combination of onions, carrots, and celery) sauteed in a generous dash of good quality Italian olive oil. Next, I prepare about 4 cups of vegetarian broth using good quality bullion. Next, add minced garlic and salt & pepper to taste plus whatever vegetables look good at the market...usually a sweet potato or 1/4 of a butternut squash, a parsnip, some Brussels sprouts, an occasional turnip or two. Peel and cube the vegetables and gently toss them with the mirepoix to mix the flavors. Add some herbs like oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme, and/or sage. Now add the broth and bring to a boil; cover, and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Throw in your crock pot beans (or canned beans) and add a red, yellow, or orange bell pepper and a chopped tomato if desired; I like to throw in some chopped Swiss chard or kale too. To round out the flavor, add an acid. Depending on what flavor you are going for, you can squeeze a lime or lemon, or a few dashes of quality aged balsamic vinegar. If using citrus, I would also add about 1-2 tsp quality soy sauce, like tamari. Increase the heat to medium for about 5 minutes and serve. I like to add plain Greek-style yogurt and some sunflower seeds to garnish some of my soups. Enjoy!

This is a soup I made recently with Heirloom Christmas lima beans. Yum! Continued Post.

Christmas Lima Beans and Quinoa with Beets and Avocado

Heirloom beans are so flavorful and delicious! This recipe is from the Rancho Gordo Heirloom Beans cookbook.

5 small beets
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup quinoa
3 cups well-drained cooked Christmas lima beans (crockpot, stovepot, etc.) warmed slightly
1/2 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado

Dressing: 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil, salt & freshly ground pepper. (Vegans: Leave out the honey)

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Scrub the beets and dry them. Put in a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the beets in 2 separate aluminum foil packages, putting like-sized beets with like-sized beets. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins with your fingers. Cut the beets into 1/4 inch thick wedges. Put in a large salad bowl.

Rinse the quinoa under cold running water (the quinoa can be soaked for 4 hours prior to this to remove any inherent bitterness). Bring a medium sauce-pan of generously salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the quinoa is fluffy but still slightly crunch, 15 to 20 min. Drain and rinse quickly under cool running water. Drain well and add to the beets.

Add the beans and onion to the salad bowl. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit, leaving each half in the skin. Cut each half lengthwise into 1/4 inch-thick-slices. Then cut the slices crosswise into thirds. Using a spoon, scoop the avocado from the skin and add to the bowl. Toss gently.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, and honey. Drizzle in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking continuously until the dressing comes together. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad, toss, adjust the seasonings, and serve at room temperature within 2 hours. Enjoy!