Western Bean Soup Romano

* Exported from MasterCook *

WESTERN BEAN SOUP ROMANO

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 lb Mixed white and colored
-beans
1 Clove garlic, minced
1/2 c Chopped onion
1 tb Olive oil
2 qt Beef broth or stock
1 t Oregano, crushed
1 cn (8 oz) tomatoes, crushed
2/3 c Julienne-cut carrots
1/2 c Julienne-cut celery
1 2/3 c Bite-sized pieces of
-spinach, loosely packed
1/2 c Small cooked shell pasta
Salt
1/2 c Grated Romano cheese

Sort, rinse and soak beans by preferred method
(described below). To maintain color integrity, soak
white and colored beans separately. Saute garlic and
onion in oil. Add drained beans, broth and oregano.
Simmer, covered until beans are tender. Add tomatoes,
carrots and celery. Simmer for 15 minutes longer.
Stir in spinach and pasta; adjust seasoning with salt.
Simmer for 5 minutes or only until thoroughly heated.

Makes 8 servings; about 2 quarts.

A BAG OF BEAN TRICKS:

A bag of bean tricks to help you buy, soak, cook &
store dry beans.

Canned beans do not require additional cooking since
they have been thoroughly cooked in the canning
process, but there are several ways of preparing dry
beans for cooking. All start with a thorough
inspection for damaged beans and foreign material,
then washing in cold water. The next step, which is
highly recommended, is soaking the beans. This not
only helps make the beans cook faster, it also
improves flavor, texture, appearance and
digestibility. For maximum improvement of these
factors, it is recommended that the soak water be
discarded and the beans rinsed and cooked in fresh
water.

SOAKING TIPS: Hot-soak (preferred) and Quick-soak
method.

For every pound of dry beans, any variety, add 10 cups
of hot water. Remember beans will rehydrated to at
least twice theri dry size, so be sure to start with a
large enough pot. (Note: up to 2 teaspoons of salt
per pound of beans *may* be added to help the beans
absorb water more evenly.) Heat to boiling, let boil
for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set
aside for at least 1 hour (quick-soak method), but
*preferably* four hours or more. The longer soaking
time is recommended to allow a greater amount of the
gas-causing properties to dissolve in the water, thus
helping the beans to be more easily digested and
lessening the aftereffects. Whether you soak the beans
for an hour or several hours, remember to DISCARD THE
SOAK WATER.

COOKING TIPS: (for each pound of dry beans)

Standard method: Drain and rinse soaked beans; put
into a good- sized kettle. Add 6 cup of hot water, 1
to 2 Tablespoons shortening and 2 teaspoons salt.
Boil gently with lid tilted until desired tenderness
is reached.

Savory Method: Use standard method (above), but use 2
teaspoons onion salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
instead of plain salt. Add 1 Tablespoon chicken stock
base or 3 to 4 bouillon cubes and 1/4 teaspoon white
pepper.

* Simmer beans slowly. Cooking too fast can break
skins.

* Acid slows down cooking. Add tomatoes, vinegar,
etc. last.

* Add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (no more) per
pound of beans whe cooking in hard water to shorten
cooking time.

* At high altitudes, beans take longer to cook. A
pressure cooker helps, but follow manufacturer's
directions. [Personal note: Tom says 1/2 hour in the
pressure cooker at 15 lbs pressure is equivalent to
cooking them overnight. Don't put too many beans in
the pressure cooker, as they expand: you don't want
to plug up the vent hole.)

* Refried beans are made from freshly cooked pinto,
pink, red or kidney beans, mashed and cooked in a
skillet with bacon drippings, lard, oil, butter or
margarine.

[ California Dry Bean Advisory Board ]

Posted by Shelley Rodgers. Courtesy of Fred Peters.



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