Pink Bean Soup

Chattes's Note:

This is a recipe I've been searching for for a long time. On my trips to Southern California, I would always stop in a restaurant named Keefer's Inn in King City, California. Unfortunately, the restaurant changed hands and this soup served there wasn't the same.In the old restaurant, in their gift shop, burlap bags of pink beans were sold along with a recipe card for this soup. I never bought one because I thought the restaurant would be there forever! I wrote in to a local newspaper food column asking if anyone still had the recipe and lucked out! Pink beans are smallish, sweet, meaty beans sometimes are known as chili beans; however, any pea or bean will work. I just love the pink beans for this savory soup. * cooking time does not include overnight soaking ** a ham bone can certainly be used instead of a ham hock

• Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 1 lb pink beans
• 3 -5 slices bacon
• ¾ cup diced celery
• ¾ cup diced carrot
• ¾ cup diced onion
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 10 -12 ounces ham hocks
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 2 quarts water
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse the beans, checking for stones and debris.
2. Soak beans overnight.
3. Saute bacon until crisp, drain.
4. Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic to bacon grease.
5. Saute 5-10minutes.
6. Drain beans.
7. Put in bean soup pot along with carrots, celery, onions and garlic.
8. Add the cooked bacon.
9. Add the ham hock, tomato sauce and water.
10. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 2 1/2 hours until beans are soft.
11. Remove the ham hock and pull the meat from the bone.
12. Chop and return meat to the soup.
13. Remove 1/4th to 1/3rd of the beans, mash or puree.
14. Return to pot and simmer another 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
15. Skim off unwanted grease.
16. Season with salt and pepper.
17. Serve.

Reviews

[Darkhunter]

Loved this recipe! I grew up eating beans, and I still have them at least twice a month. This is certainly taking the lowly bean and jazzing it up! I also added a half can of diced tomatoes that needed to be used. Thnx for sharing your recipe, Chattes. Made for THINK PINK Oct 2009.

[gotomeetin]

I'm so happy to have found this recipe! I worked at Keefer's for awhile and loved this soup!!! (I was just thinking of Keefer's this morning, when I was folding some plaid cloth napkins I bought at the gift store one time...)