Soup Recipes » Bean Soup » Garlic Lovers White Bean Soup

Garlic Lovers White Bean Soup

Hearty soup features great northern beans, dried rosemary, dried thyme, fennel seeds, bay leaf, garlic chopped turnip, chopped potato, chopped onion, chopped carrot, chopped fresh parsley, coarse salt, and fresh ground black pepper.

Ingredients -

2 cups Great Northern Beans picked over, soaked 8 hours (or overnight), drained and rinsed
8 cups (64 ounces) Water
1 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1 Bay Leaf
10 to 15 Garlic Cloves, separated but unpeeled
8 ounces Turnips (about one medium), peeled and coarsely chopped
8 ounces Potatoes (about one medium), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 pound Onions (about 3 medium), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 pound Carrots (about 6 medium), scrubbed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (packed) chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
several sprigs Fresh Parsley for garnish, if desired

Preparation:

1. In a large stockpot, add the beans, water, rosemary, thyme, fennel and bay leaf.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat and simmer, occasionally stirring, for 1 hour.

4. In a small baking dish, add the garlic, sprinkled with water.

5. Cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

6. Allow the garlic to cool, then peel.

7. Add the vegetables to the bean pot.

8. Return the mixture to a boil and simmer, with a cracked lid, for 1 hour.

9. Remove the bay leaf.

10. Add the mixture to a blender and puree the roasted garlic with 2/3 of the soup mixture.

11. Return the puree to the pot with the remaining soup.

12. Add the parsley, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the beans are tender.

13. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

14. Garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley.

15. Serve.

Soup Making Tips -
Garlic Soup

	Garlic soup can go from bland to brilliant with a few key ingredients from French cuisine. Adding white wine or sherry to the broth will enhance the flavor. Cheeses such as Parmesan and Brie will intensify the taste of the soup. Leeks and fennel can be pureed into the mix or left whole for a change of texture. French garlic soup can be served over toasted French bread or topped with croutons and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Soup Making Tips -
Cutting Onions

	Sulfur emissions are what causes eyes to water when cutting onions. To reduce tears, refrigerate the onion for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to cutting. This will slow the sulfuric reaction and reduce the emissions. Since most of the sulfur is in the root end, peel and cut the onion from the stem end downward as far as possible before cutting into the sulfuric root end of the onion.

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