I like bean soups. They are satisfying and taste good and they are a great way to get more protein in my diet. I have been thinking about this particular soup for a couple of months and was glad to finally get around to making it.
Several months ago, I read an article in our local paper about how flavorful bean broth is. Since then, I have wanted to make a brothy bean soup. So many bean soups are wonderfully thick and absolutely not brothy. I love them in their places, but I wanted to try something new.
I was not disappointed. The cooking broth for the beans has a lovely delicate flavor that somehow makes the humble bean seem as if it might have a depth of complexity that I have not previously experienced. This is not merely a non-meat source of proten, it is a culinary force in its own right.
I realize that I am late to this conclusion. Many cultures have utilized the bean well, but it has often been peripheral in the American-style cooking that I have known for most of my life. This recipe helps bring it more firmly to my personal culinary center stage.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dried beans of choice
- Salt
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 loaf store-purchased soft “French” bread OR see the recipe for a gluten free bread below
- 1/2 cup very soft butter
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried herb blend
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- Feta cheese
- Siracha sauce
Step 1: Soak the beans with 1 Tablespoon salt overnight or use the quick soak method. Drain and rinse the beans.
Step 2: Place the olive oil in a large saute pan or the pot of your slow/pressure cooker appliance. Heat the oil. When you can feel heat coming through it, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and cook an additonal 30-45 seconds. Add the rinsed beans, 6 cups water, and the bay leaf. Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours.
Step 3: Get your bread going if you are making gluten free bread. You will not need to work with it constantly, but it will need periodic attention. For the bread combine:
- 3 Tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons yeast
Whisk together:
- 1 cup/142 grams gluten free flour blend
- 2/3 cup/85 grams tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup/69 grams garbanzo flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir in until fully incorporated:
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- and the foamy yeast mixture
Next, incorporate:
- 1/4 cup very soft butter, then
- 2 eggs, one at a time
Stir thoroughly until everything is really mixed well. Cover and set aside for 20-30 minutes. Lightly flour a large square of parchment paper. Place the dough on the parchment and gently form it into a loaf shape with floured or damp hands. There is no need to do any special shaping because that process is used in wheat flour loaves to develop the gluten coat. We have no gluten here, therefore there is no gluten coat to develop. Allow the dough to rise for about 45 minutes to one hour. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. When the dough has risen (a finger lightly depressed in the side of the dough will leave an indentation that will not start to fill back in), bake it for 30 minutes until the interior temperature is 200-degrees. Allow the loaf to cool completely.
Step 4: Mash together the soft butter, pressed garlic, herbs, paprika, and parmesan. Slice the bread in half lengthwise as for a sub sandwich. Smear half of the butter onto each piece. Place on a baking tray. Bake at 400-degrees for 8-10 minutes prior to eating.
Step 5: Serve the soup with plenty of broth and with feta and siracha sauce if desired. Slice the bread and serve with the soup.
