Senate Bean (Potato) Soup
After
soaking up the super amplified rays from the sun in Destin, Florida, my
husband, kids, dad and step-mom, went goo goo over the .18 cent bean soup from
McGuires Pub. Yes, I meant to write .18 cents! The soup was very thick and
creamy. My version was not the same, but I liked it better. It’s somewhat of a
cross between bean soup and potato soup. YUM!
Ingredients:
2
lb navy or northern beans, rinsed and soaked overnight; drain water
1
medium onion, chopped
1
carrot, chopped
3
cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1
ham shank*, or pork neck bones
1
1/2 tsp salt
Water
(Approx 8-9 cups – enough to cover beans and bone[s])
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/ 8 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Small Pinch
nutmeg
2 Bay Leaf
2
medium sized russet potatoes, *mashed (about 2 cups mashed potatoes)
Directions:
Place
beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak overnight; Drain
water and set aside. In a large stock pot, drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive
oil; Sauté carrots, celery and onion in oil for 10 minutes – long enough to
brown and develop flavors. Stir in garlic and cook 2 minutes. 
Pour in water;
add salt, pepper, nutmeg, beans, and ham shank. Bring to a low simmer; cover; cook
for 4 hours. When beans are tender, mash 1/3 beans, using a potato masher, to make a creamier texture. Mix in mashed potatoes or potato flakes and simmer until thickened and creamy. Serve.
*Use
a fork or knife to poke a few holes in potatoes. Place in microwave and cook
for 5-10 minutes or until soft. Remove from microwave and let cool. Peel skin
and mash potatoes; mixing in broth from the soup to make it creamy. Once creamy
add to soup and stir well.
**Potato
flakes can be substituted for mashed potatoes.
***DH likes this with more whole beans. I prefer the beans mashed.