Giving it a whirl: pureed bean soup

Annalena is not a fan of fancy soups. She prefers a soup that makes you feel like you're eating SOMETHING. So, none of this double consomme nonsense, or vegetable soups that have been processed to the point where you think you're drinking a glass of colored milk, and so on.
Now, do not think for a minute that I do not enjoy a well made vellutata or passata, or any of the soups that do involve some kind of "intervention" to take them out of their peasant quality. But there is a point where they just get so processed that I almost feel intimidated by eating them.
And then there are soups that actually should be left alone, period. Think of minestrone, for example. If you pureed minestrone, well, what would be the point? How about mushroom soup? I know that there's room for debate here, but I like feeling the chunks of mushroom in the liquid. It gives me a sense that I'm eating something with substance.
I used the example of minestrone, to lead into this next dish. Bean soups, almost always, have the beans whole. They're served up with whatever else is in the soup, and if it's a well made soup, they're absolutely delicious. And I had a bean soup on the docket for this weekend. It was planned as a simple country soup, not unlike the French dish "garbure," but with an Italian twist. Then, I read this recipe in a catalog from a famous cookware store (ALRIGHT. It was Williams-Sonoma). I did not much care for the recipe, but it called for pureeing part of the soup.

Hmmmmm. Interesting. I did not keep the recipe, because if there is one thing I know how to do, is make a bean soup. And I followed my standard process for bean soup, with some changes. And then I pureed it in the blender. It's terrific. I want you to have this in your rep.

First, I am going to issue a plea: USE DRIED BEANS. Yes, you will have to spend more time, but the next time you are in a supermarket, look at a can of beans, and see what's in it. Even the organic ones. Look at the salt content, and then read the nutritional value. You want that? If you're ok with it, open a can of them and taste them. Soft, soft, soft. Use the dried ones. I promise, it's worth it.

Ok, start with a pound of dried beans. The night before, put them under LOTS of water, then go to bed.
Next day, change the water, and put lots more in. As one Italian cook has put it "the beans have to DANCE.' Indeed they do. Put in plenty, and when the pot comes to a boil, lower the heat, and let them cook away, until they are aldente. You don't need to cook them to soft, because you're going to cook them again.

While this is happening, chop yourself up a good cup and a half each of celery, carrots, and potatoes. NO onions, and NO garlic. BUT... get yourself two, very large sprigs of rosemary. Put about three tablespoons of olive oil in a big pot, and add the vegetables, with a hefty teaspoon of salt. Cook away, for about five minutes. While this is happening, drain the beans, and then add them, and the rosemary, and cook for a few more minutes. Then, add two quarts of water (stock is absolutely not necessary for this soup). Cook away for about an hour, or until the beans are nice and soft. Pull out the rosemary sprigs. Don't be surprised if the needles are gone.

Cool the pot. When it's cool enough to handle, puree the soup in batches. Have some water ready. When beans are pureed, they give off a lot of starch, and they are very thick. Sometimes, too thick. Adjust the seasonings, and the salt, as you see fit.

I used a pound of small, brown heirloom beans I had bought at the end of the season at the farmers market, and I have a soup that is somewhere between ecru and beige, with dark brown flecks from the skins of the beans. Your soup will take on different colors, depending on what bean you use. I would stay away from kidney beans for this type of soup. I'm not a big fan of them to begin with, and pureed, they have a kind of "icky pink" color that I am not fond of. But if you like it, go ahead.

I like to serve soups like this with a nice dribble of extra virgin olive oil on them, and I don't serve them piping hot. The flavor is better when they are just on the hot side of warm. If you wanted to, you could put some chopped ham into this, or just about anything you like.

Hey, it's getting up to tax time, and you've just made over two quarts of great soup, for HOW MUCH money? A pound of beans is what, 1.50? Potatoes, celery, carrots, water, salt, rosemary? Hmmmm? Treat yourself to a nice piece of cheese or if you don't make your bread, a nice artisanal loaf. And just "sit back" into one of the most comforting of comfort foods.