Bless Her Heart

I love comfort foods…and I love history.

But whenever I find foods that have an interesting history, I am definitely in my comfort zone.

Foods such as this bona-fide Senate Bean Soup.

A hearty ham and bean soup that has been served on Capitol Hill for about 120 years.

The Senate House first began serving Senate Bean Soup at the Senate cafeteria, on the ground floor of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in the early 1900s.

Senate Bean Soup has been on the menu ever since that first day.

Except for one day…

On September 14, 1945, the Senate cafeteria chefs did not have enough navy beans to make Senate Bean Soup because of food rationing.

After the Washington Times-Herald reported on its absence, Senate Bean Soup was back on the menu the very next day.

Forty-three years later in a speech on the Senate floor in 1988, Bob Dole said…

“Somehow, by the next day, more beans were found and bowls of bean soup have been ladled up without interruption ever since.”

In fact, Senate Bean Soup is so iconic that it has its own recipe page on the Senate website, one version with spuds and one without.

Senate Bean Soup has become a beloved American classic.

And, now that there is no longer food rationing, the ingredients to make Senate Bean Soup are readily available…and relatively cheap.

Dried white beans:  You can use either navy beans or great northern beans to make Senate Bean Soup. Other beans that you could use include cannellini beans, kidney beans and pinto beans,

You can also use dried or canned beans. Even though dried beans may take longer to cook, dried beans cost less than canned beans and contain no added salt.

Ham hocks: The rich, salty, smoky flavor of the soup comes from the ham. Typically Senate Bean Soup is made with smoked ham hocks, also known as “pork knuckles.” If you can’t find ham hocks…or if they look disgusting to you, bless your heart)…use diced ham or a ham bone instead.

Potatoes (optional): The traditional recipe for Senate Bean Soup calls for a cup of mashed potatoes

I love making baked potatoes for dinner the night before I am planning to make Senate Bean Soup. This recipe calls for one cup of cooked russet potatoes. The potatoes thicken the soup and add great flavor and texture.

But you could also take the easy route and use 2/3C of instant mashed potato flakes instead.

Other vegetables: Celery, fresh parsley, garlic and yellow onion add tons of flavor and aroma to the base of the soup.

The Broth: You can use water, chicken broth or vegetable broth as the base of this soup. The broth becomes richly flavored with the ham and beans.

Spices: Use salt, pepper and other spices sparingly. The beans will take longer to soften if you add too much salt too early in the cooking process. The ham is often quite salty on its own. Most Senate Bean Soup recipes call for fresh flat-leaf parsley and bay leaves togive the soup flavor and color.

• 2 pounds dried white navy of Great Northern beans
• 1½ pounds smoked ham hocks or a 1-lb ham bone
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced into ¼” pieces (could use 1C mashed potatoes or 2/3C instant potato flakes instead)
• 6 celery stalks, diced (about 3C)
• ½C parsley, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 onions, chopped (about 3C)
• 3 quarts water, chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1Tbsp kosher salt
• ¾tsp black pepper

Soak the beans overnight: Cover beans with 2” water in a Dutch oven. Soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain the beans. Return the beans to the Dutch overnight.

If you are determined to make the soup but forgot to soak the beans overnight: Place the beans in a Dutch oven. Add the ham and baking soda. Cover the beans with 2” water. Bring the water to a boil. Let the boil roll for two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover. Let stand for one to four hours or until the beans are softened. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid.

Finish making the soup: Add the drained beans, baking soda, ham, bay leaves and 2 quarts of broth or water.

Simmer: Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for three hours, stirring occasionally. The longer you cook the beans, the “smooshier” they will become. Add more water or broth if the beans start looking too dry.

Pick the meat off the bone: Remove the ham hock after the 3-hour mark. Shred the meat. Return it to the soup.

Saute the onions. Sautéing the onions in butter before adding them to the soup enhances their sweetness and brings out their flavor. To do this, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the celery, onions and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, until translucent. Add to the soup.

Add the potatoes: To add a fresh uncooked potato: Rinse the potato. Poke holes into it with a fork. Wrap potato in a paper towel. Microwave five minutes, until tender. Peel and then mash. Dice the cooked potatoes into small ¼” pieces. This helps them cook quickly and makes them about the same size of the beans.

Smoosh some of the beans: You could also mash some of the beans with a fork or potato masher to thicken the soup and create a creamier texture.

Finish cooking: Simmer for another hour, until the beans are tender.

Season: Bring the soup to a boil. If necessary, add more stock or water to the soup to adjust the thickness. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.

To make in crockpot:  Soak and drain the beans. Transfer them to a crockpot. Saute the veggies. Add them to the crockpot. Stir in the ham hocks, any spices and water. Cook on low for about nine hours…or on high for about five hours. Finish making the soup.

To Store: Store in fridge for up to five days. Freeze for up to three months. To thaw, allow the frozen soup to sit in the fridge for a day or two, then reheat on the stove.