Salt Pork And Herb Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pint marrow-fat or soup beans
• 6 quarts water (divided)
• 1 bouquet of soup herbs
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/2 pound salt pork, minced

Method

1. 1 Soak beans overnight. Drain, rinse, and place in a pot with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, then drain and rinse the beans again.
2. 2 Return beans to the pot. Add 4 quarts water, herb bouquet, thyme, onions, and carrot. Simmer slowly for 4 hours.
3. 3 While beans cook, brown minced salt pork in a frying pan over low heat.
4. 4 Add the browned pork to the bean stock. Mash some beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup. Serve hot.