Post by Kathy on Aug 21, 2016 19:52:16 GMT
United States Senate Bean Soup
My son Nate and his girlfriend Kandice bought me this adorable bowl for Christmas and I was so happy that I got to use it for these pictures!
I love bean soup and it's one of my favorite soups! I decided to make this recipe after reading so much about it! It was delicious, very filling and comfort food on a cold, snowy day in Cincinnati! I bought the pea size navy beans and that was different to me but we really enjoyed the smaller beans!
I really loved cooking the onions in butter and then adding them to the soup after it had cooked 2 hours! Great flavor! You can enjoy this soup with or without crackers because it was great either way!
Next time I make this, I want to add a little chicken broth in place of some water just to test it out!
Bean soup is on the menu in the Senate's restaurant every day. There are several stories about the origin of that mandate, but none has been corroborated.
According to one story, the Senate’s bean soup tradition began early in the 20th-century at the request of Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho. Another story attributes the request to Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota, who expressed his fondness for the soup in 1903.
The recipe attributed to Dubois includes mashed potatoes and makes a 5-gallon batch. The recipe served in the Senate today does not include mashed potatoes, but does include a braised onion.
As of 2010, members of the public can try the soup between 11:30am and 3pm in the Senate dining room. There is a dress code, and entry requires a "request letter" from a senator. The soup is also available to the general public at the Capitol Visitor Center restaurant on a rotating basis, between 7:30am and 4pm, and in the Longworth Cafeteria, between 7:30am and 2:30pm.
The Project Greek Island bunker, a Cold War-era emergency relocation center for Congress, included a cafeteria that would have served Senate bean soup.
Past prices for a bowl include:
1940: $0.15
1996: $1.00
1997: $1.10
2004: $4.50
2008: $5.00
2010: $6.00
2014: $3.60 for a 16 ounce bowl
Information and recipe from United States Senate Bean Soup Website www.senate.gov/reference/reference_item/bean_soup.htm
2 pounds dried navy beans
four quarts hot water
1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup instant mashed potato flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Wash the navy beans and run hot water through them until they are slightly whitened. I let mine sit in a bowl of water overnight.
Place beans into pot with hot water. Add ham hocks and simmer approximately 2 hours in a covered pot, stirring occasionally.
Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Dice meat and return to soup.
Lightly brown the onion in butter. Add to soup. Add mashed potato flakes, stirring well. Season with salt & pepper. Continue simmering 1 more hour.
Remove from heat and let sit to thicken.
Serves 8.
