Forgotten Bean Soup

Bean Soup, as made (and forgotten about) by Ann

1 pound Anasazi or other medium-sized beans
2 cups (more or less) diced ham
2 medium onions, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons medium hot pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Wash beans and put in large pot with cold water to 2 inches above beans.  Bring to boil.  Cover and remove from heat; let sit for 1 hour.  Rinse.

Put everything in large pot with about 4 inches water above beans.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.

Either just before or just after eating this soup!

I mentioned this soup to my mom on the phone the other day, and she doesn't remember it - probably because it is not so much a recipe as a basic formula for a delicious bean soup.  Last time Dhruva and I visited New Mexico over the December break, there was a lovely mid-morning snow.  Snow in the desert is not only unusual - and thus more exciting - but it is also unusually beautiful.  Dhruva and I rushed outside for snow ball fights, snowman building, etc.  When we came back inside, the entire house smelled amazing - and this soup is what my mother was cooking.  There are few better, more comforting things on a cold day.  I had her write the recipe down for me, and it now has a place in my recipe book.  Since she forgot all about it, I wanted to give the "formula" back to her!

Ann's Version: Subconscious Bean Soup

Cassie and I had not discussed posting the bean soup recipe, but today while at the food coop I saw anasazi beans and got the urge for a filling soup.  I apparently wrote down the recipe for Cassie a couple of years ago but didn't keep a copy for myself since bean soup seems like a no-brainer.  Without using my brain I washed (but didn't presoak) a pound of anasazi beans and put them in a big pot with four smoked ham hocks (trying to use up things in the freezer), a chopped onion, 4 chopped garlic cloves, about 8 cups of water and a tablespoon of dried Peruvian huacatay.  I had no idea what this herb was and had bought it last summer for precisely that reason.  It apparently is also known as black mint or stinking roger (!?!) and tastes like a combo of mint and basil.  I also added a couple of fresh bay leaves from my quite vigorous small tree. After it came to a boil I simmered the soup for about an hour and a half until the beans were tender then added a couple of teaspoons of salt and some pepper.  This was the rare soup I didn't add either hot peppers or citrus juice to!  It was excellent and very satisfying.  Gordon thought it smelled good even with beans, onion, etc. so I gave him the cooked-to-death ham hocks which turned out to have very little meat on them.  More lovely soup for the freezer and future lunches!  Weird that Cassie and I both made anasazi bean soup on the same day without speaking, but how nice that our minds go in the same direction. 

Cassie's Version: Eventual Bean Soup

I finally made this again!  I posted the recipe quite a while ago but only got to actually preparing it last night.  I made the soup pretty much as written above, though I used an heirloom New England variety of bean instead of Anasazi, as that was all I could find.  The variety is called Jacob's Cattle Beans, and it is grown in Maine.  I have no idea what the name means, but they looked rather like Anasazi and were quite tasty.

To spice things up, I used a combination of a minced serrano, frozen from my mother's abundant supply, and several shakes of dried red pepper flakes (the spiciest ones you can imagine, made primarily from ground habaneros!).  At the very end, I added a scant capful of apple cider vinegar for a helpful bit of acidity.

This soup really is delicious!  Simple, filling, and extremely comforting.  It also makes the house smell wonderful.  Thanks, Mom!