Red Bean Soup

Sorry it has taken me so long to get another recipe posted. I am still in Shreveport, Louisiana and am busy dealing with FEMA, Red Cross and my insurance companies. We have been back to New Orleans once since the storm to check on my house as I was worried about looters, but the house is OK. We plan to move back this week, maybe as early as Wednesday. I have been away from home now since Sept 8th. This seems like a bad dream I just can't wake up from and I am one of the lucky ones. Yesterday we counted as many as 25 people we know who got water in their homes. We did not. Well, enough of Katrina.

Here is a great little recipe for those cold evenings when a warm bowl of soup is just the right meal. Enjoy.

Red Bean Soup

1/2 pound red kidney beans
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 strips celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
1/4 stick butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 pound ham, ground fine
Water
Salt and pepper to taste
Claret wine, sieved hard boiled egg, lemon slice - garnish

Brown onion in butter. Simmer beans for about 3 hours in water with seasoning. Strain mixture through coarse strainer - mash with large spoon. Add ham. Add salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon claret wine in bottom of each bouillon cup. Pour soup. Garnish with sieved egg and lemon slice. Serves 8.

As soon as restaurants start opening back up in New Orleans I'll begin doing my chef interview podcasts again. - Take care.