BEAN WITH BACON SOUP

Bean with bacon soup is great for a cold rainy day. It is comforting and guaranteed to warm your belly. The ingredients are few and the process is simple. Today we are using peruano beans. The peruano bean is a pale yellow bean whose origin is Mexico. When fully cooked it is sweet and creamy and holds it shape well. Bacon is the co-star of this hearty broth. We are using some wonderful smoky bacon from Swingles Meats from Placerville California. Onions, garlic, chicken broth and a splash of Spanish Sherry Vinegar will round out this pot of bean love.

Bean with Bacon Soup

• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 6 slices of bacon chopped
• 1 pound of peruano beans rinsed and checked for debris
• 1 quart of chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons of Sherry Vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste

All measurements are approximations and white or navy beans may be substituted. Sauté bacon for several minutes, then add onion and garlic. Season the onion & bacon mixture with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add broth and dried beans and bring to simmer. Simmer for two hours or until beans are very soft. Use a potato masher and give broth a couple of smashes to thicken soup. Leave a proportion of whole beans for texture. Add sherry vinegar and simmer for 10 more minutes. You may thin the soup with water to desired consistency.

This soup is a winner. The smells of bacon & onion/garlic cooking will start the anticipation glands working and patience will need to be practriced. The sherry vinegar gives the soup that little extra flavor boost that puts this simple broth over the top. Some fresh baked bread for sandwiches and you are set for a cold rainy day.

POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE

"God Save the Queen"'. Sorry Mum.

BROCCOLI & CHICKEN SOUP

We have a nice smoky chicken breast from our trial of ‘Emeril’s Smoker Bag’. It just seemed right to make a soup. We looked in the ice cave and found some broccoli, cheddar and some pancetta. As you may know, I am a bacon kind of guy. Pancetta is a form of bacon that has been cured but not smoked. This piece of pancetta was procured from the pork palace of ‘The Fatted Calf”. This will work just fine.

The pancetta was cubed and put into a heavy enameled cast iron vessel. The heat started a transformation of the cured swine to aromatic, caramelized bits of meat pleasure. The whole house had a perfume that almost brought me to tears. Pancetta, where have you been? The smell was much sweeter and less harsh than ordinary bacon aroma. Onions, carrots and a few cloves of garlic were added to my pot of Love. After several minutes a couple of tablespoons of flour were added. Chicken stock followed into the hot tub and all was simmered for 10 minutes.

I think Ms. Goofy must have had a little taste of the smoked chicken breast. This will explain the teeth marks. The chicken was cubed and combined with cheese, two chopped smoked jalapenos, and broccoli. One half of cup of heavy cream, final seasoning and 10 minutes of simmering finished this wonderful smelling cauldron of soup. Delicious, comforting, smoky, filling what more can I say except, pancetta. Little cubes of chewy sweet pork made this one memorable soup.

BLACK BEAN SOUP & CHIPOTLE BACON CORNBREAD

If you are a resident of the Bay Area you may remember a restaurant called Solomon Grundy's. It was located on the Marina of Berkeley. It was a nice place with a bay view and a great place to watch the sunset. I would go for the black bean soup. This soup was 'Black Bean Heaven'. It was thick and hearty. Sadly they closed and took their soup with them. In the food section the other day was a recipe for Solomon Grundy's black bean soup. I could not resist to give it a try. Of course a couple of Chilebrown touches were added. I accompanied this soup with corn bread made with freshly ground corn meal laced with chipotle powder that was found at the Tierrra Vegetable stand at the Ferry Plaza. It had corn bread written all over it.

Cornbread

1. 1 1/2 cup of corn meal
2. 1 1/2 cup of flour
3. 1 egg
4. 1/4 cup honey
5. 1 cup buttermilk
6. 1/4 bacon fat from Nueske bacon
7. 2 slices Nueske bacon cooked and chopped
8. 1 teaspoon salt
9. 1/4 cup corn
10. 1 teaspoon baking powder
11. 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and bake in a hot oiled black iron skillet for aprox 30 minutes at 400 degrees. It is done when bread is brown and a knife pulls out clean.

Solomon Grundy's Black Bean Soup

1. 8 ounces black beans
2. 2 bay leaves
3. 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
4. 1 teaspoon black pepper
5. 1 slice of bacon finely chopped
6. 3 quarts of water
7. 2 ounces sherry
8. 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
9. 4 tablespoons of Nueske Bacon Fat
10. 4 tablespoons of flour

Place beans, bay leaves, bacon,spices and water in a large pot. Bring to boil and lower to simmer. Cook for two hours or until beans are falling apart. Make a roux by mixing flour and fat together in a separate bowl. Slowly add to soup mixture stirring constantly. Add sherry and simmer for 15 more minutes.

Let me tell you how good the corn bread was. If you get a chance to go to the Ferry Plaza, be sure to pick up some freshly ground chipotle corn meal. The soup was okay. Sometimes pleasant memories are just that.