Hearty, rich and savory, this soup is perfect with a chunk or two of Red Hen bread.
Ingredients:
3 cups yellow eye or cranberry beans, soaked and then cooked with sprigs of sage and plenty of salt
2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped celeriac
1 cup chopped carrot
1 medium chopped gold or pinto gold potato
salt and red chili flakes
2 T red miso paste
1 t smoked paprika (hot or sweet, depending on your heat preference)
4 cups just-boiled water
1 bunched chopped kale or chard or green of your choice
1 T cider vinegar
If you don't have any prepared beans, either soak some overnight, or give yourself a couple of hours to let them simmer before starting the soup. Lay the foundation for lots of flavor in your soup with plenty of salt and some sage, bay leaves or other aromatics in the cooking water.
Warm the oil in a dutch oven or soup pot and then add the diced onion along with some salt and red chili flakes.
When the onion has softened a little, add the celeriac, carrot and garlic, and let cook for 5 minutes or so.
Add the potato, then cook for another several minutes.
When the vegetables have deepend in color and started to soften, add the paprika and miso, along with half of the cooked beans, and mix thoroughly. Let the flavors come together for a few minutes.
Add the hot water, stir, and bring everything to a simmer.
Cover and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 8 - 10 minutes.
Use an immersion wand to blend, or cool slightly and smooth in batches using your blender.
Once the soup is relatively smooth, add the chopped greens and the remainder of the beans, and simmer until the greens are cooked.
Test for seasoning, and add the cider vinegar if things need brightening up.
