Recipe - Ruths Barley And White Bean Soup

One half cup Small white beans rinsed
And drained
8 cup Water
2 tablespoon Butter
1 small Onion finely chopped
2 Leeks rinsed and cut or sliced up
1/3 cup Pearl barley
1 Clove garlic minced
1 Stalk celery finely
Chopped
1 md Carrot shredded
2 Ham hocks (about 2 lbs)
Smoked
1 Bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon White pepper
1 cup Milk
Salt (optional)
Chopped parsley (for
Garnish)

1. In a medium saucepan bring beans and 2 cups of the water to a boil; boil
for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour.

2. In a 5 One half to 6quart kettle or Dutch oven, melt butter. In it cook
onion, leeks, and barley until onion is transparent. Stir in garlic,
celery, and carrot and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add ham hocks (or ham bone),
remaining 6 cups water, beans and their liquid, bay leaf, and pepper.

3. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until meat separates
easily from bone (2 One half to 3 hours). Remove ham hocks or ham bone; when
they are cool enough to handle remove and discard bones and skin. Discard
bay leaf. Return meat in chunks to the soup.

4. Gradually stir in milk and reheat to serving temperature (do not boil).
Salt to taste. Sprinkle each portion with parsley or chives, and serve.

Recipe By : the California Culinary Academy

From: Date: 05/27

File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mmdja006.zip