Rainbow blossom's white bean soup

1 batch

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
cupNavy beans
1quart;Water
1mediumOnion; diced
2Garlic cloves; crushed
1Celery rib; diced
1Carrot; diced
¼poundsMushrooms; sliced
1mediumPotato; diced
2tablespoonsOlive oil
¼To 1/2 tsp. summer savory
1teaspoonEach oregano, sage and salt
½teaspoonBlack pepper
1pinchCayenne pepper
quartVegetable stock*
½Medium to lg. summer squash diced

Directions

*Note: Colombo said that to make the vegetable stock, she cooked a carrot, onion, potato, rib of celery and a few sprigs of parsley in 1¼ quarts water. When the vegetables were tender, she pureed them in the blender and added all to the beans. "The soup was delicious," she said.

Place beans and water in a large kettle. Cook 1 hour. While beans are cooking, prepare vegetables.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, mushrooms and potato. Saute lightly. Add to the beans along with herbs, salt and peppers. Go light on the herbs at first - you can always add more. Add vegetable stock.

Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours or until beans are tender. Add the squash in the last 20 minutes of cooking. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Yield: Approximately 2 to 2 ½ quarts.

From chef Tess Krebs/Rainbow Blossom organic food store/Louisville, KY in Alice Colombo's 07/29/92 "Cook's Corner" column called "White Bean Soup Waits at the End of the Rainbow" in "The (Louisville, KY) Courier-Journal." Pg. C6. Electronic format by Cathy Harned.

Submitted By CATHY HARNED On 08-07-95