Coach house black bean soup

8 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
Jim Vorheis
1poundsBlack beans
quartWater
5Strips bacon, cut in small pieces
2Stalks celery, chopped
2Medium-size onions, chopped
2tablespoonsFlour
Rind and bone from smoked ham
OR 2 smoked ham hocks, split
3poundsBeef bones
3Sprigs parsley
2Bay leaves
2Cloves garlic, halved
2Carrots, cut in pieces
2Parsnips, chopped
¼teaspoonGround pepper
2teaspoonsSalt
¾cupMadeira
2Hard cooked eggs
Lemon slices, sprinkled with parsley

Directions

Wash beans, cover with cold water and soak overnight. Drain and wash again. Place them in a casserole and add 2½ quarts water. Cover and simmer 90 minutes. Cook bacon in heavy kettle for a few minutes.

Add celery and onion and cook until tender; do not brown. Blend in flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add ham and beef bones, parsley, bay leaves, garlic, carrots, parsnips, pepper, salt and beans with the cooking liquid. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 4 hours. Add more water if necessary.

Remove bone and ham rind or hocks and blend half of the soup in blender. Remove any meat from ham bone or hocks, chop fine and return to soup. Add blended soup. Add wine and chopped eggs. Mix well. Garnish with lemon.

Colorado Cache Cookbook (1978) From the collection of Jim Vorheis