Foods

Ingredients :

• 2 cups mixed beans
  
• 10 cups chicken, vegetable or turkey stock
  
• small handful fresh thyme sprigs, including leaves and stalks,
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 carrot, diced small,
• 2 small onions (or 1 onion and 1 large shallot), diced small
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, 2 stalks celery, finely chopped,  1/2 tsp. turmeric, 1/2 tsp. allspice
  
• 1 small hot red chile, minced
  
• 1 medium turnip, cut into small cubes
  
• 1 medium potato, cut into small cubes
  
• 1 tsp. salt, 2 small zucchini, diced
  
• freshly ground pepper
  
• brown or white rice, cooked
  
• chopped parsley for garnish

Rinse beans and pick over carefully. Put beans in a large pot, cover with water and soak overnight.

Drain beans, discarding any skins that may have separated and floated away. Put beans in a large pot and add stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add half the thyme sprigs, stir, and simmer for another hour.

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic, and saute until fragrant. Add celery and carrot, and saute for 5 minutes. Add spices and chile, and saute for 1 minute.

Ladle some of the hot stock into the vegetable mixture, swirl to mix well, then pour all the ingredients into the pot of beans. Add the turnip, potato, salt, remaining thyme sprigs. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour.

Add zucchini, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove thyme stems (leaves will have separated and joined the soup).

Remove half the soup to a blender and purée; you will probably need to do this in batches, as there’s quite a lot. Mix puréed soup back into the pot.

Add pepper to taste, and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Put a few spoonfuls of rice into each serving bowl, ladle over soup, and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves at least 6, with leftovers for lunch.
Enjoy!