Here’s what you should know about beans and 3 soups you can make with them – Orange County Register

Mystery and complaints are not new to the US Senate. Imagine the scene on a muggy summer’s day in 1907.

“Thunder!” lamented Joseph G. Cannon, Speaker of the House, his outburst fueled by bean hunger and anger at what he perceived as indifferent House restaurant cooking.

The chef failed to prepare the traditional bean soup that day. Speaker Cannon (R, Illinois; 1903-11) was quite excited about this.

According to acclaimed cookbook author Crescent Dragonwagon (“Bean by Bean” Workman, $15.95), a request to serve bean soup every day, “hot, cold, rain, snow, or shine,” followed.

The House passed a resolution (yes, they kind of agreed on the soup issue) that regardless of the weather, when the House is in session, bean soup must be on the menu.

Dragonwagon and I both agree that the US House Navy Bean Soup recipe could use a refresher. More flavor, more panache.

I’ve included three bean soup recipes, variations that amp up the flavor profiles. But first a few tips, a bit of “bean school”. If dried beans seem like a nuisance, the cannellini soup recipe uses canned beans for a quicker approach.

Picking via dried beans: Pour the raw dried beans onto a white kitchen towel, then spread them out and take a good look; I recently found a tiny rock in some dried kidney beans.

Soak to remove the mischief: I love how cookbook author Dragonwagon describes intestinal gas as nonsense. Help degas dried beans by soaking them in cold water (the water level should be 2 inches above the surface of the beans) for 6 to 8 hours. Or use the quick method: place beans in a saucepan and cover 1 to 2 inches with water. Boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the beans in the water for 1 hour. With either method, drain and rinse the beans well after soaking.

Mischief Slowdown: A study at the University of California, Berkeley found that subjects who ate beans “reported greater tolerance and less discomfort at the end of a three-week period of eating beans.”

Salt? Do not add salt until the beans are thoroughly cooked and tender. The same goes for vinegar, lemon juice and tomatoes. These ingredients harden the outer coats, or pods, of the beans. If you add salt at the end, do so to taste. Cooked (dried) beans need salt to be happy.

Protein powerhouse: Between 6 and 11 percent of the cooked weight of dried beans is protein; 1/2 cup of cooked beans has about 8 grams (an egg has 6), depending on the variety.

Shopping Tips: When purchasing packaged dried beans, look for undamaged bags or boxes of uniformly sized beans. As tempting as the packets of assorted beans arranged in their clear cellophane wrappers may seem, I stay away from most dried “bean soup mixes.” Due to the differences in size and density of the beans, they require different cooking times; Sometimes the results are unsatisfactory.

Storage: Store dried beans in a tightly closed container at cool room temperature. They should keep for up to a year. They take longer to cook as they age. Don’t mix older dried beans with a new batch; Cooking times of old and new supplies will likely vary. Refrigerate leftover cooked dried beans airtight for up to 4 days. Bean soups freeze beautifully; Eat within three months for the best flavor.

Tuscan bean and farro soup with cabbage

Yield: 6 to 7 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound (1 1/4 cups) dried pinto beans

1/2 cup spelled

11 cups of water, shared use

Salt

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled, chopped

1 small stick of celery with leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 pound kale, seeded, shredded

1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced (about 2 cups)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

sofrito:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

Generously 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled or freshly chopped

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Place beans in a bowl, cover 2 inches with cold water and soak overnight or 6 to 8 hours. drain.

2. Combine farro and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender but still a little chewy. The brand I buy at Trader Joe’s takes 10 minutes to simmer; consult package instructions for cooking times. Drain and season with salt; put aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large, heavy stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion and cook until onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add carrot, celery and sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. add cabbage; Cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage is limp, about 10 minutes. Add beans, squash, and 8 cups water (or enough water to cover ingredients 2 inches). Bring to a boil over high heat; Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper. If beans are not soft, simmer gently until beans are soft, about 10 minutes. Scoop out 2 cups of beans and veggies with a small amount of broth; Puree in blender in small batches or food processor. (I use an immersion blender and puree a small amount in the saucepan). Return the pureed mixture to the pot.

4. Meanwhile, make the sofrito: While the soup is simmering, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. add garlic and rosemary; Cook 30 seconds and stir in tomatoes. Season with salt and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes are cooked through and sofrito is thick and delicious and beginning to stick to pan, 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Stir the sofrito into the soup. Stir in the cooked farro. Taste and season as needed. Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan.

Source: Adapted from “Mediterranean Harvest” by Martha Rose Shulman (Rodale, $39.95)

White bean and chicken soup with chilies

Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dry large northern kidney beans

72 ounces (1 1/2 48 ounce containers) chicken broth, plus more as needed

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

2 (4-ounce) cans diced mild green chillies

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

5-6 cups diced, cooked chicken breasts

For garnish: tortilla chips, some crumbled

For garnish: grated jack cheese

For the optional garnish: sliced ​​avocado, sliced ​​radish, sliced ​​green scallion stalks

DIRECTIONS

1. Place beans in a large bowl or saucepan. Add cold water to cover the beans 2 inches. Soak overnight or 6 to 8 hours. drain.

2. Combine drained beans, broth, garlic, and onions in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, adding more stock if needed.

3. Add remaining ingredients except chicken, fries, cheese or sides. Simmer for 20 to 30 more minutes.

4. Add chicken; Boil 15 minutes. Taste and season as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with crumbled tortilla chips and grated cheese. Garnish with avocado slices, radish slices, sliced ​​spring onion stalks, and whole tortilla chips, if desired, around the perimeter.

Quick cannellini bean soup from a can

To save time, this cannellini soup uses canned beans. The smoked kielbasa sausage adds a welcome richness, and if you like, some diced cooked chicken adds even more meaty goodness.

Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large brown onion or yellow onion, roughly chopped

3 medium carrots, roughly chopped

3 sticks of celery, cleaned and roughly chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme

9 ounces Kielbasa, fully cooked smoked sausage, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced ​​crosswise

10 cups chicken broth

2 (15 ounces each) cans of cannellini beans, split use

Optional: 4 to 5 cups diced cooked chicken

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Options: Frank’s Red Hot Original cayenne pepper sauce to taste, see chef’s notes

Chef’s Notes: The addition of Frank’s Hot Sauce not only adds a touch of spicy interest, but also a touch of tangy acidity (the second ingredient listed on the label is vinegar). Add just a little and taste the soup. Add a little more if you like.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 6-quart or 8-quart skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. add slices of thyme and sausage; cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage begins to brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, blend the contents of 1 can of beans until smooth (puree).

2. Add broth to the sausage mixture. Stir in the mashed beans. Stir in the remaining can of beans. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-high. Add chicken (if using) and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper. If using, add Frank’s hot sauce to taste.

Question about cooking? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com