mmmm tuesday beans- red and white bacon bean soup.

[mopinko]

i was a very good girl this tuesday. got the soup started before i left the house. i really like the way the beans turned out. i think it is even a little green- did you know that you can make dried beans with very little cooking?
so, i start with just the beans and water in a big pot. i am using half small red and half navy beans. let them sit up to an hour, or not if you don't have time. with high heat, allow to boil for as little time as it takes to take a shower. let them sit in the hot water for 45 minutes or more. drain. prepare whatever else is going in the soup. in this case chopped onion, sliced carrots, mushrooms and some bacon, plus a good portion of cubed red potatoes, skin on.
this also has a really great stock, made from the last of last years pig. made a plain one, with some rib bones and a little round steak that needed to go, and made another out of the smoked and flavored stuff. can't say as i have ever heard of anyone making stock out of ham and bacon, but i couldn't see why not. they were both beautiful, clear and dark. so, i used the smokey stock, and a bottle of stout.
after sauteing whatever, bring everything to a boil. boil a few minutes or so, then turn it off. let it sit and cool on the stove, and heat when ready to eat. the beans are firm, but well cooked, and much flavor was absorbed.
all in all, very yummy and different.