My Grandmother’s White Bean Soup

Name: My Grandmother’s White Bean Soup
Yield: Serves 10 to 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Freshly grated Parmesan or dry Jack cheese for garnishing; Freshly grated Parmesan or dry Jack cheese for garnishing; 2 cups finely shredded green cabbage; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 3 cups seeded and diced fresh ripe tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes, including juice; 3 cups seeded and diced fresh ripe tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes, including juice; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 large bay leaves; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 2 cups thinly sliced onions; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cups dried Great Northern beans or navy beans; 2 cups dried Great Northern beans or navy beans; 8 cups rich Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock; 1 cup diced celery; 1 cup diced carrots; 2 tablespoons chopped garlic; 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 1 pound meaty smoked ham hocks; 2 cups dry white wine; 8 cups rich Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock

Preparation info

Serves
10 to 12

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

From the Earth to the Table

By John Ash

Published 1995

About

My friends tease me about how often I say “my grandmothers” this or that, but the truth is that my grandmother was the one who instilled in me a real passion for cooking. Living in the mountains of Colorado, she knew how to whip up a hearty bean soup to combat the bone-chilling weather. Here’s to you, Grandma.

Ingredients

2 cups dried Great Northern beans or navy beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
2

Americas
United States
Colorado
Soup
Gluten-free

Method

Sort through the beans to remove any debris. Rinse thoroughly and soak overnight in enough water to cover the beans by at least 3 inches. Alternatively, use the quick-soak method explained in the margin.

In a stockpot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery until they just begin to color. Add the stock, wine, ham hocks, thyme, fennel seeds, bay leaves, and