Indulge in the Legendary Senate Restaurant Bean Soup: A Culinary Journey Through History and Taste
Step into the culinary realm of the historic Senate Restaurant Bean Soup, a dish that has captivated the taste buds of Washington's elite and ordinary diners alike for over a century. This iconic soup is shrouded in an aura of rich history, having graced the tables of presidents, senators, and countless patrons who have flocked to the renowned Senate Restaurant for a taste of its legendary creation. As you embark on this culinary adventure, discover the secrets behind this beloved dish, carefully crafted with tender beans, savory ham, and a symphony of aromatic spices. Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with this timeless classic and explore the additional culinary gems nestled within this article – from zesty cornbread to a refreshing cucumber salad – each recipe a testament to the restaurant's enduring legacy of culinary excellence.
SENATE BEAN SOUP (THE OFFICIAL RECIPE)
Steps:
- Rinse the navy beans and pick over. Place beans into large pot with two quarts of cold water and the ham hock. Bring just to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for approximately three hours in a partially-covered pot, stirring occasionally, until the beans have fully softened.
- Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, lightly brown the onion in butter and add to the soup. Pull meat from the ham hocks and return to soup. Stir. Before serving, bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper.
CAPITOL HILL BEAN SOUP RECIPE
Hearty bean soup has been on the menu in the Senate's restaurant every day since at least 1903. You could say it's a rare unanimous mandate. According to one story, the tradition was started by a Congressman from Idaho who contended the soup should always include mashed potatoes, presumably Idaho potatoes. Another story attributes the soup request to a Senator from Minnesota who simply loved the stuff, despite no obvious ingredient connection to his home state. Senate Bean Soup (the more common name for this dish) is so iconic that it has its own recipe page on the Senate website, one version with spuds and one without. It's easy to see why it's so popular. The soup is inexpensive, easy to prepare, and although it needs to simmer for a couple hours, requires little attention beyond an occasional stir. If you don't have time to soak the dried beans for 8 hours or overnight, try this quick-soak method. Put the beans in a large pot, add water 2 inches above the beans, and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain the beans, and then cook according to the recipe.
Provided by Southern Living Test Kitchen
Categories Soup
Time 10h25m
Yield Serves 12
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place beans in a Dutch oven; add water to cover, and soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans. Add ham bone and water. Cover and bring to a boil over high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.
- Rinse potato; pierce with a fork, and wrap potato in a paper towel. Microwave on HIGH until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes; peel and mash potato. Stir potato, celery, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper into bean mixture; simmer over medium-low until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Remove ham bone from Dutch oven, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard bone and fat; dice meat, and stir into bean mixture. Top each serving with chopped parsley.
SENATE NAVY BEAN SOUP
Try CopyKat.com's take on the Senate Navy Bean Soup.
Provided by Stephanie Manley
Categories Soup
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Wash and rinse the beans and discard any debris or dark-colored beans.
- In a large stockpot, combine the rinsed beans, the ham hock, and 4 quarts of water. Over high heat, bring to a boil, then simmer over low-medium heat until the beans are soft (about 2 hours).
- When the beans are almost ready, melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery, and saute until all the vegetables are soft.
- Add the softened vegetables to the beans and stir well. Remove the ham hock from the soup and cut the meat into small bite-sized pieces. Add the meat back into the soup.
- Use a potato masher to slightly mash some of the beans - this will give you a nice velvety texture. Season soup with salt and pepper before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 273 kcal, Carbohydrate 50 g, Protein 17 g, Fat 1 g, Sodium 19 mg, Fiber 19 g, Sugar 4 g, ServingSize 1 serving
CLASSIC AMERICAN SENATE BEAN SOUP
Steps:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Soak the beans in water overnight. Make sure the beans are covered with a couple of inches of water, as they can expand somewhat.
- Drain the beans.
- In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, combine the vegetable stock , the drained beans, and the ham hock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer .
- Simmer, covered, for 2 hours, occasionally skimming off any scum that forms on the surface.
- In a separate saucepan, heat the butter over a low-to-medium heat.
- Add the onion, celery, and garlic to the butter and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onion is slightly translucent, stirring more or less continuously.
- Add the wine and cook for another minute or two or until the wine seems to have reduced by about half.
- Add the onion mixture, parsley, and the potato flakes to the soup and simmer for another hour or until the beans are tender.
- Remove the ham hock, pull the meat off the bone, and chop it up.
- Return the chopped meat to the soup. If necessary, add more stock or water to the soup to adjust the thickness.
- Season to taste with kosher salt and white pepper .
- Serve right away and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 219 kcal, Carbohydrate 26 g, Cholesterol 24 mg, Fiber 7 g, Protein 8 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 1081 mg, Sugar 4 g, Fat 8 g, ServingSize 8 Servings (8 portions), UnsaturatedFat 0 g
SENATE BEAN SOUP
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 2h55m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with about 3 times their volume of cold water. Soak overnight in a cool place.
- Drain the beans and transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven. 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. 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.
- 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. Drain the potato; transfer to a bowl with the milk and mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the mashed potato to the bean soup and stir until combined.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and parsley and cook until the vegetables are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. 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.
SENATE BEAN SOUP
This is an old recipe given to me by my mother. I have tasted different versions but this one is my family's favorite.
Provided by ratherbeswimmin
Categories Ham
Time 3h30m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Wash and sort beans; in large kettle, cover beans with 6-8 c hot water.
- Bring to a boil; boil 2 minutes; remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour.
- Add another 2 quarts of cold water and ham bone.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
- Stir in remaining ingredients; simmer 20-30 minutes until beans are tender.
- Remove ham bone, trim off meat and return meat to soup; remove bay leaf.
- Serve hot; freezes well.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 111.2, Fat 0.6, SaturatedFat 0.2, Sodium 151.7, Carbohydrate 21.8, Fiber 7.1, Sugar 1.6, Protein 5.5
U.S. SENATE BEAN SOUP
Chock-full of ham, beans and celery, this hearty soup makes a wonderful meal at any time of year. Freeze the bone from a holiday ham until you're ready to make soup. Plus, once prepared, it freezes well for a great make-ahead supper! -Rosemarie Forcum White Stone, Virginia
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 4h15m
Yield 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Rinse and sort beans. Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 to 4 hours or until beans are softened., Drain and rinse, discarding liquid. In a large Dutch oven or soup kettle, place the beans, ham bone or hocks and 3 quarts water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours., Skim fat if necessary. Add the onions, garlic, celery, parsley, potatoes, salt and pepper; simmer 1 hour longer., Set aside ham bones until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces and return to Dutch oven. Heat through. Sprinkle with parsley or chives.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 229 calories, Fat 3g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 12mg cholesterol, Sodium 83mg sodium, Carbohydrate 37g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 10g fiber), Protein 14g protein.
Tips:
- Use dried beans: Dried beans are more flavorful and economical than canned beans. If you're using dried beans, be sure to soak them overnight before cooking.
- Use a variety of beans: Don't be afraid to mix and match different types of beans. This will add flavor and texture to your soup.
- Use a flavorful broth: The broth is the base of your soup, so make sure it's flavorful. You can use chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
- Add vegetables: Vegetables add flavor, nutrition, and color to your soup. Some good choices include carrots, celery, onions, and tomatoes.
- Season to taste: Don't be afraid to season your soup to taste. Add salt, pepper, and other spices until it reaches your desired flavor.
Conclusion:
This Senate Bean Soup is a hearty, flavorful soup that's perfect for a cold day. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. So next time you're looking for a delicious and satisfying soup, give this recipe a try.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
#ham #weeknight #time-to-make #course #main-ingredient #cuisine #preparation #occasion #north-american #healthy #soups-stews #beans #eggs-dairy #pork #vegetables #american #southern-united-states #easy #potluck #diabetic #dinner-party #heirloom-historical #holiday-event #kid-friendly #stove-top #dietary #copycat #thanksgiving #gluten-free #comfort-food #high-protein #inexpensive #northeastern-united-states #free-of-something #high-in-something #meat #novelty #taste-mood #to-go #equipment #4-hours-or-less
You'll also love