Remembrances of family and home

From Mary's kitchen

I have had a rough couple of weeks and have not been focused on the blog, as my brother died unexpectedly.  Meg suggested I write something in his honor.  It’s taken me some time to think about an appropriate post.  His death reminded me again of the importance of family, of keeping alive the things and memories of events which seemed to cement our family unit. 

My brother liked to eat.  However, cooking was not his forte.  He once invited me to dinner, opening the freezer and stating “which one do you want?....”  So, I was surprised when he asked me for our family recipe for bean soup.  He had an adventurous spirit, though usually not focused on cooking.  

The week before he died, he had some time alone at home and decided to push his cooking envelope and make this bean soup recipe. Bean soup was a family favorite growing up, most often cooked by our dad.  Our dad liked to say that he taught our mother to boil water.  While she gained some cooking skills, he remained the more adventurous baker and cook.  Bean soup for us siblings remains one of those comfort foods which reminds of home.  This post seems timely then not only for comfort foods of fall as cool/cold weather sets in, but also for remembrance of family.  This is the recipe I sent him.

Bean soup ingredients:

1 bag dried navy beans, black beans, or mixed beans

Ham bone with some meat

1-2 onions, peeled and chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into quarters

2 bay leaves

1 large can diced tomatoes (I like the fire-roasted tomatoes)

1 lb Conecuh spicy sausage, sliced into 1 inch sections (optional)

1 or 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (optional)

Salt, pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp dried mustard (or to taste)

Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Prepare the beans first.  Either cover with water and let sit overnight OR cover with water, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and let sit for about an hour. Either way, the beans will be somewhat hydrated and softened, and ready to cook.

Pour the water off the softened beans. Add the ham bone, the onions, garlic, bay leaves, oregano and fresh water to cover all well.  I would add about 1/2 tsp black pepper at this point too. You'll probably need about 2 quarts or so water.  Bring the pot to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and cook for about an hour or so.  At that point, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and the sausage if you are using this ingredient.  The Conecuh sausage is a regional specialty.  Andouille or other spiced sausage would do as well.  Be creative…  I sometimes like to add sweet potato, which give the soup an added depth.  These will cook through, but stay in the cube shape.  Regardless of whether you are adding the additional ingredients or not, continue to cook until the beans are very soft. If you pull a few out on a spoon and blow on them, the skins will typically split. Remove the ham bone, returning any meat to the soup.  I like bean soup a bit spicy so I often add crushed red pepper flakes.  My typical finish for the soup is to add egg rivals.

Egg dumplings or “rivels” (optional):

In the Granddaughter’s Inglenook Cookbook – the only cookbook in our kitchen when we were growing up – the basics of this soup (sans sausage or sweet potatoes) were optionally complemented with egg dumplings or “rivels”.  The texture of these tender rivels is great and the flour tends to thicken the soup a bit.  To create the rivels, beat one egg lightly, add a little salt, stir in probably 1/2 to 3/4 c flour. It doesn't all have to be mixed in. If you beat this too much the rivels will be tough.  Make the rivels only after your soup is cooked. Drop in by small lumps or strings while soup is simmering.  In about 15 min the soup with rivals will be ready to eat.

This soup, as many do, improves with time so leftovers are not to be sneezed at.  It also freezes well.  Enjoy and think of recipes that remind you of cherished family times.

Meg's Comments

Picture of Russ, my (then) boyfriend, Mary and me - 1971!

Mary, I am so sorry for the loss of your brother Russ.  I met him years ago when we were in college. He was a big guy, gentle and sweet.  Remember the bike trip we took with my then boyfriend and now husband along the C&O canal that runs from Cumberland Maryland to D.C. - 184 miles total.  The first day we did (maybe) 65 miles and proceeded to call my sister and her husband to pick you, Russ and me up... The boyfriend finished the trip alone.

Your bean soup sounds delicious and without the "rivels" it is reminiscent of Puerto Rican bean recipes which call for pumpkin rather than sweet potato. I use canned, unsweetened pumpkin which is easier than dicing and roasting the squash.  Diced salt pork is good to saute and then add the chopped onions to soften and then add everything else.

Mary's Reply

Thanks for the memory Meg!!  That was a fun trip. Russ was a  big guy - funny, adventurous, loyal.  We miss him sorely.