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You Asked For It

Recipes for hearty soups rich with beans

By ELLEN FOLKMAN
Published May 25, 2005

Soup's on! Two readers have requested recipes for bean soup. Helen Weller wanted a recipe for Senate bean soup, and Jean Howley shares hers, made with only five ingredients. Pat Jessup found her recipe in the Taste of Home recipe book.

Jean Tsongranis hoped to find a recipe for Yankee bean soup. Brenda Helton shares the recipe she found on the Internet.

Linda Boerner was looking for a not-so-spicy Thai peanut sauce. April May, Rachel Hastings and Kathryn Wilson share their favorites.

For: Helen Weller of Tampa

From: Jean Howley of St. Petersburg

Recipe: Senate Restaurant Bean Soup

2 pounds navy beans

4 quarts hot water

1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

Wash and run navy beans under hot tap water until beans are white. Combine beans, hot water and ham hocks in large soup pot. Cover and bring slowly to a boil. Simmer for 3 hours in a covered pot.

Braise the chopped onion in the butter until light brown. Add braised onion to soup. Remove ham hocks from pot and let cool. Dice the ham and return the meat to the soup. Remove 2 cups of the beans and puree them in a blender. Stir pureed beans into the soup. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Serves eight.

For: Helen Weller of Tampa

From: Pat Jessup of Dunedin

Recipe: U.S. Senate Bean Soup from the Taste of Home

1 pound dried great northern beans

1 meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks

3 quarts water

3 medium onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 cup mashed potatoes or 1/3 cup instant potato flakes

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Parsley or chives for garnish

Place beans and enough water to cover in a saucepan, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and soak for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans. In a large kettle, place beans, ham bone or hocks, and 3 quarts of water, simmer for 2 hours. Skim fat if necessary. Add onions, garlic, celery, parsley, potatoes, salt and pepper, simmer 1 hour longer. Remove meat and bones from soup. Remove meat from bones; dice and return to kettle. Heat through. Garnish. Serves 8 to 10.

For: Jean Tsongranis of Tarpon Springs

From: Brenda Helton of Seminole

Recipe: Yankee Bean Soup

1 cup dried pea beans or navy beans

1 1/2 quarts water

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup diced carrots

1 green pepper, diced

1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup diced potatoes

2 cups milk

Wash and pick over beans and soak in cold water overnight, covered. Drain beans. Place beans in a large heavy pot with 11/2 quarts cold water. Add the onion and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the beans are barely tender, about 30 minutes. Add the carrots, green pepper, tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook 10 minutes more. If desired, soup can be put through a blender or food mill at this point. Add the potatoes and milk and cook 15 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are tender. Season to taste. Serves 6.

For: Linda Boerner of Oldsmar

From: April May of Tampa

Recipe: Thai Peanut Sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/3 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts

In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar and cayenne pepper. Use less cayenne for a milder sauce.

Serving suggestion: Saute bite-size chicken in olive oil with garlic and ginger. Add broccoli, peanut sauce and peanuts and serve over rice.

For: Linda Boerner of Oldsmar

From: Rachel Hastings of Spring Hill

Recipe: Thai Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup peanut oil

1/2 cup raw peanuts

2 fresh Thai or serrano chilies

1 slice fresh ginger, 1/2-inch thick

4 garlic cloves

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk, canned or fresh

2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

4 teaspoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Pinch of salt, if needed

1/2 cup finely minced cilantro leaves and stems

Heat the peanut oil to nearly smoking in saucepan. Turn off heat and add peanuts. The peanuts should cook to a golden brown in 3-5 minutes; be careful not to burn them. Using slotted spoon, transfer peanuts to food processor or blender, along with 1 tablespoon peanut oil, reserving the rest, and blend to a rough paste. Add the chilies, ginger, garlic and continue to blend. Add the remaining ingredients except cilantro and blend until smooth, adding oil to thin if necessary. Garnish with cilantro.

For: Linda Boerner of Oldsmar

From: Kathryn Wilson of St. Petersburg

Recipe: Peanut Sauce for Satay

1 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground)

1 14.8-ounce can chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons chopped, peeled fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed red pepper

Lime peel julienne or scallions for garnish

Place peanut butter in heavy saucepan. Gradually mix in chicken broth. Add all remaining ingredients except lime peel or scallions. Stir over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 6 minutes. Pour sauce into bowl and garnish. Make about 3 cups.

Dorothy Brooks has lost a favorite family recipe for date nut orange coffee cake. She has searched everywhere, including the Internet, with no luck.

- You Asked for It is a reader mail column. Send recipe requests to You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to youaskedforit@knology.net Please put "Recipe request" in the subject line. Recipes will be received by mail only. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.

[Last modified May 24, 2005, 15:24:18]