Greek Bean Soup & Leek Soup

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Mary Blankenship for passing this along:

After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual "food" out
of eating an artichoke as you would from licking 30 or 40 postage
stamps. - Miss Piggy

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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Serve this hearty soup with bread, black olives, and cheese,
and you have a complete meal.

Bean Soup (Fasolada)

2 cups (500 ml) dried navy, cannellini, or lima beans
8 cups (2 L) water
2 stalks celery, including leaves, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) canned tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped parsley
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs (30 ml) tomato paste
1/2 tsp (2 ml) sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the beans and water in a large pot and bring to a boil
over high heat. Remove from the heat and leave pot covered
until the beans are plump, 1 to 2 hours, depending on the beans.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer covered for 2 to 3
hours, until the beans are tender. Serves 6 to 8.

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I love all the members of the onion family, but leeks are my
favorite because they offer a subtler flavor than their more
pungent cousins.

Leek Soup (Prassosoupa)

2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
2 large leeks, white and light green parts, trimmed and cut into
1/2-inch (1 cm) rings and thoroughly rinsed
2 large potatoes, diced
4 oz (110 g) sliced mushrooms
6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock
1 egg whisked together with
2 Tbs (30 ml) heavy cream or milk

Heat the oil in a large pot over moderate heat and saute the leeks for 5
minutes. Add the potatoes, mushrooms, and chicken stock and bring to a
boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Remove from the
heat and stir in the egg mixture. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Feb 13 07:14:57 2007