German Bean Soup (bohnensuppe)

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/2 lb beans, soaked overnight in water to cover
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup cubed bacon or 1/2 cup country ham
• 1/4 lb green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 celery root, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes (if you can't find celeriac, use 2 stalks of celery, cut into cubes)
• 1 carrot, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 leek, sliced into thin rings
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 parsley root, cubed (or 1/2 cup chopped parsley)
• 1/2 lb small red potato, unpeeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon marjoram, crumbled between your palms
• 1 teaspoon thyme, crumbled between your palms
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 drain the soaked beans, then put in a kettle with 8 cups of water and the bacon.
• 2 bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for an hour.
• 3 add the green beans, celery root cubes, carrots, leeks, onion, parsley root (or parsley), potatoes, marjoram, thyme, and bay leaves.
• 4 bring back to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for another hour.
• 5 while the soup is cooking, melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan.
• 6 stir in the flour and let it brown very very slowly, stirring occasionally,this could take an hour, if you keep the heat low enough.
• 7 when ready, stir in a little of the soup stock, whisk for a minute, then stir into the soup kettle.
• 8 season with salt and pepper and cook uncovered, stirring from time to time, for 10 minutes.
• 9 when ready to serve, stir in the parsley, remove the bay leaves, adjust the seasoning, then ladle into soup bowls and serve immediately.