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Senate Bean Soup

Years ago, Mrs. Herman Talmadge, wife of our state senator, shared with us Georgia ladies the bean soup recipe that was served in the Senate dining room. It is quite wonderful.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 12

Ingredients

2 pounds Michigan navy beans
4 quarts water
1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hocks
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 medium onion, chopped
Salt and pepper

Preparation

  1. Rinse the beans in hot water until they are white. Place them in a stockpot, add the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours. Meanwhile, simmer the ham hocks in a large pot of water for 3 hours. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until lightly browned. Add the onion to the pot of beans. Remove two cups of the bean mixture, puree in a blender, and return to the soup. Remove the ham hocks, and break down slightly with a knife. Add to soup mixture. Just before serving, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved. Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.
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