Navy Bean Soup
A classic recipe for a hearty and filling soup. Beans, ham bone and celery, slow-cooked and simmered to perfection. Serve it piping hot on a cold, winter day.
2 cups navy beans, sorted and rinsed
10 cups water
1 ham bone
1 bay leaf
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Place beans in a large soup pot with water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Take off heat, cover, and allow the beans to stand for an hour.
After an hour, add in the meat bone and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over a low heat for about an hour. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook uncovered over a moderate heat till the beans and vegetables are soft. Make sure you stir the soup from time to time.
Take out the bone from the soup and cut off any meat that may be sticking to it. Add the meat to the soup and discard the bone. Remove the bay leaf as well.
Mash some of the beans with the back of a spoon against the side of the pan until you get the required consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with crusty French bread.
In case you’ve run out of navy beans, you could substitute any other type of bean for this recipe.