Josies Bean Soup Recipes

SPICY BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic, and saute until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the chili powder, coriander, cumin, oregano and crushed red pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, tomato juice, tomato paste, cheese rind, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the broth, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, and lentils. Stir in the broccoli, zucchini, and yellow squash. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender and the mixture thickens slightly, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Season the stew to taste with more salt, if desired.
• Ladle the stew into bowls. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and basil, and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add butter; allow butter to melt. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook and stir until onion begins to turn translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute. Add beans and broth. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Set heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Place bread cubes in a saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast bread cubes over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the bread cubes and continue to brown cubes about 2 more minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth. Whisk in creme fraiche. Stir in lemon juice. Serve topped with browned bread cubes and chopped parsley.

JOSIE'S BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Wash beans.
• In large pot boil beans with ham hocks.
• Cook until beans start to break up, approximately 1 hour.
• Remove hocks and grind or chop meat.
• Return meat to pot and add the remaining ingredients.
• Simmer 1 hour.

LUIGI'S BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• You will need a large pot with a lid. Rinse beans in cold water to clean, then place in large saucepan, cover with 3 to 4 inches of cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, drain off water, and cover beans again with cold water to a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Put back on heat. As water heats, add tomatoes, scallions, oil, celery, garlic, black pepper, and basil. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer covered for 2 to 3 hours, until beans are cooked and tender. Check beans every so often to ensure that they aren't running dry. Add more water if necessary. Once beans are cooked, add salt, and bring back to a rolling boil for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken. Set aside until ready to serve, then reheat, and transfer to serving dish. Serve hot, topped with a sprinkling of grated cheese and of freshly ground black pepper. Put out pepper and extra cheese so guests can adjust flavorings as they wish.

JOSIE'S POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a dutch oven or soup pot, cook potatoes, celery and onions in the chicken broth until the potatoes are tender (30 - 40 minutes). Remove from stove and using a potato masher, mash the potatoes leaving some larger pieces. Add the stick of butter and quart of half and half and return to heat. Once butter has melted and half and half is warm (10 - 15 minutes on low), taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• I like the soup thicker so this is where I add the instant mashed potatoes. I add until the soup is the consistency I want -- probably between 1/2 cup to 1 cup.
• Josie served this with saltine crackers but we like beer bread with it as well.