If the showers continue, soups are a great idea for lunch or dinner.
Senate Bean Soup has been a fixture in many dining rooms on Capitol Hill for more than a century. The story goes that this soup has been a mainstay on Capitol Hill since the turn of the 20th century, when either Idaho Sen. Fred Dubois or Minnesota Sen. Knute Nelson mandated the dish be added to the menu in the Senate Dining Room.
Sen. Dubois included mashed potatoes but there was a potato shortage in the 1950s and the potatoes were eliminated. Today’s soup only has navy beans, ham hocks, onion and butter.
Senate Bean Soup
Serves 8
1 pound dried navy beans, picked over
1 pound ham, preferably with bone
1 large russet potato, peeled and quartered
Kosher salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
Place beans in a large bowl and cover with about three times their volume of cold water. Soak overnight in a cool place.
Drain the beans and transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven. Add 10 cups of water and the ham. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the beans are tender, about one hour and 30 minutes. Transfer the ham to a plate to cool slightly, then remove the bone, if used, and dice the meat. Return the meat to the pot.
Meanwhile, cover the potato with water in a saucepan and season with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the potato; transfer to a bowl with the milk and mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the mashed potato to the bean soup and stir until combined.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and parsley and cook until the vegetables are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture to the soup, reduce the heat to cook for one hour, adding up to 2 more cups of water if the soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
• • •
If you have time and want to use your slow cooker, here is a beef and barley soup recipe:
Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup
Serves 8
Process in their juices in a food processor until smooth, 15 seconds and set aside:
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
Heat in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Add:
3 medium onions, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cook, stirring often until the onions are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
Stir in, scraping up any browned bits:
1/2 cup dry red wine
Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and stir in the processed tomatoes, and:
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup pearl barley
Season with salt and pepper:
2 pounds blade steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Nestle the meat in the slow cooker. Cover and cook, either on low or high, until the meat is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.
Let the cooking liquid settle for 5 minutes, then gently tilt the slow cooker and remove as much fat as possible from the surface using a large spoon. Stir in:
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Season with salt and pepper before serving.
• • •
Here is a fish and corn chowder that will be done in 40 minutes.
Fish and Corn Chowder
Serves 8 to 10
Fry together in a large pot:
2 large round onions, chopped
1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut into pieces
Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of drippings.
Add with sufficient water to cover the potatoes:
1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and coarsely diced
Simmer slowly for 10 minutes.
Stir in:
2 pounds white fish filets, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 cups whole milk
1 (15-1/4 ounce) can creamed corn
1 (7 ounce) can corn kernels
1/8 teaspoons ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until fish and potatoes are cooked, 20 to 30 minutes.
Foodie notes
I wrote about Short N Sweet Bakery and Deli moving to the former Lanky’s Pastries location at Hilo Shopping Center. They had a soft opening and will have their grand opening this Sunday. The old location at the former Robert’s Bakery will remain Short N Sweet Bakery and will be devoted to baking gluten-free items, with no wheat flour in that premise.