NEW ORLEANS SPICY BEAN SOUP

New Orleans Spicy Bean Soup image

Provided by TheGrumpyChef

Time 5h30m

Yield 14 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 quarts water
1 smoked ham hock, with meat attached
1 bay leaf
1 lb dried navy beans or 1 lb kidney bean
2 large onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, with leafy tops chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 -2 teaspoon creole seasoning
4 garlic cloves, minced
hot pepper sauce

Steps:

In large no-stick pot, combine the water, ham hock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Reduce the heat to med-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Uncover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Strain into a large bowl. Discard the bay leaf. Remove the meat from the bone. Trim off all visible fat and cut the meat into small dice. Set aside about 3/4 cup of the meat; reserve any remainder for another use. Defat the Stock.
Wash the pot with soapy water and rinse. Return the stock to pot.
Add the beans, onions, celery, carrots, red peppers, parsley, cilantro, cumin, oregano, Creole seasoning, and garlic. Set over med-high heat and bring almost to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are tender.
Transfer 4 cups of the soup to a blender or food processor. Puree, then stir back into the soup. If the soup is not thick enough, continue pureeing in 1-cup batches until the soup is the desired consistency. (May also use a hand blender in this step.) Stir in the reserved ham. Season to taste with the hot-pepper sauce.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 126.2, Fat 0.7, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 19.1, Carbohydrate 23.3, Fiber 8.8, Sugar 2.7, Protein 7.9