This traditional soup has been on the lunch menu every day on Capitol
Hill in
both the House and Senate restaurants.
1 lb. (2 cups) dry Navy Beans
1 1/2 pounds ham hocks or 1 meaty ham bone
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup celery, chopped
2/3 cup instant potato flakes or 1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
Soak Navy Beans in 6 cups of water for 8 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Drain and rinse.
In a large stockpot, add 8 cups of water, Navy Beans and ham.
Slowly bring to
a boil and simmer 1 hour. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer
until tender.
Trim off ham and discard bone. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Makes 3 quarts, serving 12. Serving size = 1 cup.
Recipe yields 3 quarts of soup (12 - 1 cup servings)