Recipe: Ten Bean Harvest Vegetable Soup (using root vegetables and tomatoes)

TEN BEAN HARVEST VEGETABLE SOUP

"Makes a very tasty bean soup, aromatic with orange and saffron and herbs."

1 cup assorted dried beans*
Hot water (for soaking beans)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided use
Cold water (for rinsing beans)
6 cups water
1/2 ounce onion bouillon cube**
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried, flaked mixed vegetables
Tri-colored peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste
1 teaspoon minced orange peel
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 large red new potato, thinly sliced
1 stalk leafy rib celery, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 large parsnip, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet potato, thinly sliced
1 large green onion with 2-inches greens
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon black bean sauce (or soy sauce)
1/2 teaspoon minced dried garlic
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup chopped watercress
Whole wheat dinner rolls (for serving)

Rinse the beans several times under cold tap water. Put beans into a 4 cup glass measure and add hot water to the 3 1/2 cup mark. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; stir well. Allow beans to soak for about 60 to 90 minutes or until the beans have tripled. Rinse under cold water.

Heat about 6 cups of water in a stock pot to a boil and add the rinsed beans. Bring just to a boil; reduce the heat to the lowest simmer on a slow burner. Add onion bouillon, soy sauce, the remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, dried vegetable flakes, orange peel and freshly ground pepper. Cover, slightly ajar and let simmer about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender; removing any foams.

Add remaining ingredients, except spinach and watercress. (Adjust seasonings to taste with pepper and/or soy sauce.) Simmer, partially covered, for 60 minutes. Add the spinach and watercress; stir. Cook about 10 minutes, uncovered.

Serve with whole wheat dinner rolls.

*Use only 1 cup of a ten-bean assortment. The mix should have a variety of both beans and peas, the small creamy sort (no kidney beans).

**Both Telma and Knorr make 14g onion bouillon cubes.

Makes 12 cups
Source: Pat Hanneman, January, 1997