Senate Bean Soup

I'll just tell you up front: this recipe has Bacos in it. Bacos are vegan and I love them.

You don't have to use them; you can get a nice flavor from smoked paprika or liquid smoke instead. But I say, why pass up an excuse to buy Bacos?

So here's my version of senate bean soup.

Senate Bean Soup

1/2 onion chopped
3 T margarine or oil
pinch salt
2 c water or broth
handful parsley
2 cans navy or other white beans; or 3 c cooked white beans
3 garlic cloves sliced thin
(one rib celery chopped - optional)
(liquid smoke or smoked paprika - optional if using Bacos)
one lg or two small potatoes, baked or boiled (in other words, pre-cooked), and peeled and diced
salt or soy sauce or miso paste to taste
1 or 2 t red wine vinegar, or splash of red wine
black pepper
large handful of Bacos
dash of hot sauce if you like

Saute onion in margarine or oil with a pinch of salt, until translucent. Add water or broth, parsley, beans, garlic, celery, smoked paprika or liquid smoke, and potatoes. Simmer about 20 minutes or longer, until potatoes are very soft or break down completely. (Do not puree the soup with potatoes in a blender or food processor! Potatoes turn to glue if you do that.) Add salt/soy sauce/miso, red wine vinegar, pepper and Bacos and simmer a few more minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley.

The Public Soup Kitchen, Vincent Van Gogh, 1883