Very Tasty Butter Bean Leek And Bacon Soup |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Butter beans make an excellent thick and wonderfully creamy soup and have the added advantage of absorbing other flavours extremely well. Ingredients:
8 oz dried butter beans |
4 oz smoked streaky bacon |
2 tablespoons of oil |
1 bay leaf |
1 oz butter |
1 onion finely chopped |
1 leek cleaned, trimmed and finely chopped |
2 small stick of celery finely chopped |
1 garlic clove |
11/2 pints of water |
5 fl oz milk |
salt and freshly ground black pepper |
Directions:
1. Soak the beans overnight by covering them with cold water, or you can boil them for 10 minutes then leave them to soak for 2 hours before making the soup. Whichever way you choose do remember to drain them off before cooking.
2. Start by cleaning and finely chopping the vegetables.
3. cook the bacon for about 5 minutes till it is lightly crispy and golden brown.
4. add the bay leaf, 11/2 pints of water to the pan along with the soaked butter beans.
5. Bring the mixture to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 25 minutes or until the beans are tender.
6. Skim off any scum that appears on the surface.
7. Heat the butter and the rest of the oil in another saucepan and add the remaining chopped vegetables.
8. Stir well and coat everything in the butter and oil and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes until they are soft.
9. Tip everything into one pan and mix together well, throwing away the bay leaf.
10. Next add the garlic, cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes until the beans and vegetables are really soft.
11. Mash the beans against the side of the pan with a fork, this allows the beans to thicken the soup.
12. Pour in the milk and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir well.
13. Serve immediately sprinkling the top with freshly chopped parsley. Absolutely delicious with warm crusty bread.
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