Senate Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 stalk celery chopped
• 1 pound navy beans dried picked over
• 0.3 cup parsley fresh chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 pound ham with bone
• 8 servings kosher salt 
• 0.5 cup milk 
• 1 large onion chopped
• 8 servings pepper freshly ground
• 1 large baking potatoes peeled quartered
• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• pot
• potato masher
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with about 3 times their volume of cold water. Soak overnight in a cool place.
2. Drain the beans and transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven.
3. Add 10 cups water and the ham. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the beans are tender, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
4. Transfer the ham to a plate to cool slightly, then remove the bone, if used, and dice the meat. Return the meat to the pot.
5. Meanwhile, cover the potato with water in a saucepan and season with salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Drain the potato; transfer to a bowl with the milk and mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth.
7. Add the mashed potato to the bean soup and stir until combined.
8. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
9. Add the onion, celery, garlic and parsley and cook until the vegetables are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes.
10. Add the vegetable mixture to the soup, reduce the heat to low and cook 1 hour, adding up to 2 more cups water if the soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Photograph by Yunhee Kim