This recipe is only for those with patience

Soup that Looks Like America


(Making this soup is a multi-day process, so don't print out this recipe and try to make it on the same day you want to serve it.)

4 qt. ham stock

8 oz. dry black beans

8 oz. dry navy beans

8 oz. dry red beans

8 oz. dry pinto beans

4 stalks celery

2 yellow onions

6 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp. thyme

1 tsp. rubbed sage

1 Tbsp. Ivy & Devine Coffee Rub

1 tsp. paprika

1 lb. smoked sausage

1 lb. ham (cooked or cured)

½ lb. bacon

1 bunch green onions

Salt

Black pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Prep

Soak beans in cool water (in separate containers) overnight. Drain, rinse and set aside. Chop celery, onions, garlic and green onions. Cut ham, sausage and bacon into ½” pieces.

Cook

In a large stock pot, cook bacon until browned and most fat is rendered. Add olive oil, onions, celery and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent. Add ham and sausage and cook until slightly browned. Add thyme, sage, Ivy & Devine Coffee Rub and paprika. Stir until all herbs and seasonings are evenly distributed. Add beans and stir. Add enough ham stock to nearly fill pot. Set remainder aside. Cook over high heat until stock comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for three hours, adding stock if needed to maintain a liquid consistency. Roughly stir occasionally to break up some of the beans, but not all. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve when beans are soft.

Plate

Serve in a shallow bowl and top with chopped green onions.

(Serves 6)

*There are plenty of good commercially available ham stocks in the grocery store, but to make it from scratch just chop up two onions, one bunch of celery, one pod of garlic and add with a ham bone to a pot of boiling, salted water and cook for several hours. To me, the homemade stock makes all the difference between good and great.