Senate Bean Soup (Senate bean soup)
Overview
Senate bean soup is a simple American soup of small white navy beans cooked slowly with a smoked ham hock and onion until creamy. The ham is cut up and returned to the pot, and the soup is seasoned with black pepper and a little butter. Some recipes add celery, garlic or mashed potato. It is hearty and inexpensive, and its fame comes mainly from its long-standing place on the menu of the United States Senate's restaurant in Washington. It is easy to cook at home with very few ingredients.
Pictures
History
The soup is said to have been served in the Senate dining room every day since the early twentieth century, and several senators have been credited with making it a requirement. Navy beans got their name from their role as a staple for the United States Navy. The soup is now a symbol of traditional American cooking.
Main ingredients
Navy beans, ham hock, onion, butter, black pepper. The soup is built on ham broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~195 min
Ingredients
- 450 g dried navy beans, soaked
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 1 onion, chopped
- 30 g butter
- 3 l water
- salt and black pepper
Allergens: Contains: Milk. Based on the typical recipe. Recipes and products vary; always check labels if you have an allergy.
Method
- Simmer the beans and ham hock in the water for about 2.5 hours.
- Remove the hock, chop the meat and return it.
- Soften the onion in butter and stir into the soup.
- Mash some beans to thicken, season with pepper and serve.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.