Senators having to deal with the double whammy of a giant snowstorm and a giant health care bill this week always can sit back and relax with a warm bowl of Senate bean soup, served on the Hill every day.
And you can too.
Yeas & Nays found two recipes for this wintery dish, a great way to get rid of leftover Christmas ham. It’s a favorite to many in the Senate, including Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who suggests using “great northern beans” instead of navy beans.
The reason? His home state is the No. 1 producer of great northern beans in the United States.
The Famous Senate Restaurant Bean Soup Recipe
2 pounds dried navy beans
Four quarts hot water
1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsps. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash the navy beans and run hot water through them until they are slightly whitened. Place beans into pot with hot water. Add ham hocks and simmer approximately three hours in a covered pot, stirring occasionally. Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Dice meat and return to soup. Lightly brown the onion in butter. Add to soup. Before serving, bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Serves eight.
Bean Soup Recipe (Five Gallons)
3 pounds dried navy beans
2 pounds of ham and a ham bone
1 quart mashed potatoes
5 onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Half a bunch of parsley, chopped
Clean the beans, then cook them dry. Add ham, bone and water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and mix thoroughly. Add chopped vegetables and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour before serving.
