Hungarian Bean Soup (Bableves)

Yield: 1 ½ Gallon

1 pc. Smoked Pork Trotter (Mangalica or Berkshire recommended)
1 lbs. Ham, diced
4 oz. Kolbász, Wild Boar 1
1 lbs. Beans, Cranberry
8 oz. Onion, medium dice
8 oz. Carrot, sliced
8 oz. Celery root, diced
4 oz. Parsnip, sliced
1 ½ lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes, medium diced
3 Bay leaf
3 cloves Garlic, shaved
As Needed Kosher Salt & Pepper
1 ½ gallon (6 liter) Pork stock or water
8 oz. Bacon Fat
8 oz. All Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp. Hungarian Paprika, ground
Garnish Pickled onions

Method:
1. Make roux by mixing bacon fat and flour over medium heat. Remove from heat and add paprika and set aside
2. Sauté the trotter, add beans, garlic, bay leaf and unsalted stock. Cook for about 30 minutes.
3. Add roux. Stir until dissolved.
4. Add vegetables, potatoes, kolbász, ham, cook until done.
5. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
6. Serve

Notes:
• 3 main reasons that beans will not get soft 1. They are old (the pores will close so water cannot enter the bean) 2. Hard water 3. Presence of an acid
• NEVER salt the water when cooking beans!
• Salt slows the softening of the bean
• Always soak the bean overnight and discard the water. Soaking helps remove the indigestive sugars on the bean that cause flatulence
• Beans have a protective starchy layer that is even harder when dried
• Sometimes soaking heirloom beans can cause them to sprout
• “Red Roux”, it is best to remove the pan from the heat when adding paprika.
• Paprika is naturally high in sugar and burns easily
• Kidney beans are a great substitution
• Making an alkaline environment by adding baking soda (1 tsp. / cup of dry beans) cuts the cook time in half.
• The baking soda caused the liquid to foam up and boil over. I do not recommend using baking soda while cooking.