Everything but the Kitchen Sink

It’s the season of soup.  With what may be a record-breaking snow coming this weekend, it just seemed right to make a huge pot of hearty warmth.

Yesterday I got inspired by a bag (about 2 cups) of Great Northern beans from the CSA that had been just sitting in wait on the shelf.  My “recipes” always start with “What would go well with this?” 

I decided a full-flavored stock would be a good place to start.  So yesterday I got out the stock pot, added a meaty beef shank bone (osso buco), and bits and pieces of vegetables:  the green tops from a bunch of organic carrots, some nubs of ginger, a garlic clove, scallion tops, and pepper corns.  After filling the pot with water, I let it simmer on the stove for hours.  After it cooled, I put it in the refrigerator to let any fat congeal.  At the same time, I put the beans in a pot to soak overnight.

This morning even before breakfast, I rinsed the beans and added the de-fatted stock.  I set aside the lean pieces of beef to be added later.  Then I let the beans cook while I had breakfast and figured out what else to add to the soup.

Here’s what ended up going in after being chopped/minced and sauteed in some lemon-flavored olive oil:

1 onion
1 large shallot
3 garlic cloves
2 carrots
1 red pepper
1 poblano pepper
1 red jalapeno pepper
4 chard leaves
3 links of mild chicken sausage (removed from their casings)

After adding 2 bay leaves and simmering for another 30 minutes, I added a package of fresh shelled English peas, the reserved beef, and a can of fire-roasted tomatoes.  I also added about 1-1/2 tablespoons of salt.

After another 45 minutes, I have now turned off the soup to allow it to cool.  The broth has a very rich earthy taste. 

I can imagine dipping French bread into this hearty soup, that is is complete meal in its bowl.