Louisiana Black-Bean Ham Soup (1972)

• 4 cups black beans
• Rind and bone of smoked ham
• 3 bunches green onions
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tbspn salt
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tspn pepper
• 3 ribs celery, minced
• 3 large onions, minced
• 1 stick butter
• 2-1/2 tbspns flour
• 1/2 cup parsley, minced
• 1 can consomme (optional)
• 1 cup Madeira
• Lemon slices
• Minced parsley

Soak beans overnight. Rinse and drain. Cover with 5 quarts water and boil 1-1/2 hours with ham bone and rind, green onions, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and garlic. 

Saute onions and celery in butter until soft. Stir in flour and parsley; cook stirring constantly a few minutes until well blended. Add to beans, and continue to simmer 6 hours or longer. Add boiling water if necessary so beans remain covered with water.

Remove ham bone, rind, and bay leaves. Force mixture through fine sieve. Do not use blender as soup will be mealy.  

After the soup is sieved, check for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as desired. If ham bone and rind have not give a rich enough flavor, the can of consomme may be added. Do this before adding additional salt.

At serving time, reheat and add i cup of Madeira, or to taste. After soup is off the heat, stir in a lump of soft butter. Garnish soup bowls with a lemon slice sprinkled with a bit of minced parsley.  Recipe yields 5 to 6 quarts. 

More "Lost" Recipes from "Cotton Country Cookbook"

Mamie Eisenhower's Green Rice (1972)

Louisiana Turkey Bone Gumbo (1972)

(Origin - "The Cotton Country Collection" by the Junior League of Monroe, Louisiana, 1972.)