Fleece on Earth

We lived in Germany for three years and this was a favourite of ours. There it was usually called "Serbische Bohnensuppe" (Serbian Bean Soup). We had to learn to make it when we came back to the US since it was impossible to find here. Fortunately I collect cookbooks the way some people collect knickknacks. Elisabeth Luard's The Old World Kitchen had been a favourite of mine for some years. The recipes are authentic and the book is the kind of book you can read from cover to cover. Imagine our delight when we found a recipe called "Pasulj" in this cookbook. It's wonderful for cold weather. Use real Hungarian paprika. And when she says "Serve with lots of good bread," figure on at least one baguette for every four people.

Pasulj (Serbian Bean Soup)

THE OLD WORLD KITCHEN by Elisabeth Luard, ISBN 0-553-05219-5

1 lb dried white beans (navy or cannellini) [1 large jar navy beans]
2 onions, chopped
3 clove garlic, minced
3 whole cloves
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 lrg carrot, scraped and sliced
5 - 6 whole peppercorns
1 lb kielbasa, thickly sliced
1/2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 teasp Hungarian paprika
2 tbsp flour

You will need a large saucepan. Pick over the beans for bits of grit and chaff, and rinse them twice in cold water. Put the beans in a large saucepan and cover them with water to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil and then turn down the heat. Leave to simmer gently for half an hour. [Note: I use the navy beans you can find in large glass jars in the bean section instead of cooking the beans from scratch.]

Remove the pan from the heat and pour in enough cold water to cover the beans to a depth of 3 inches. The beans will settle on the bottom. Leave them for a minute or two; then pour off the water and replace with fresh water. Bring the water to a boil and then turn down the heat to simmer.

Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, tomato paste, carrot, cloves and peppercorns to the beans. Cook gently over very low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beans are soft. After 45 minutes of the cooking, add the kielbasa.

Fifteen minutes before you are ready to serve, add the salt and prepare a liaison for the soup. Heat the oil until it is smoking lightly; then quickly stir in the paprika, followed by the flour. Mix to a thin paste. Add this to the soup, stirring well. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the soup is thick and rich.

Serve with plenty of bread and good red wine.

Serves 5 to 6. Time: 2 to 3 1/2 hours

Labels: recipes