Bean Soup with Romanian Sauce and Sour Cream

 Ingredients: -1/2 smoked ham hock / smoked pork neck / smoked bones / smoked kaizer, cut into pieces -2-3 smoked sausages, sliced into rounds -150-250 g beans -2-3 carrots, sliced into rounds -150 g parsley root, diced -1/2 celeriac root, diced -1 onion, finely chopped -1 bunch of green onions, sliced into rounds -1 green bell pepper, julienned -1 red bell pepper, julienned -4-5 tomatoes, peeled and diced -250-350 ml sour cream -25 g flour -4-6 tablespoons oil -2 bay leaves -fresh/dried lovage, to taste -2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme / 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme -1-3 sprigs of fresh tarragon / 7-9 tarragon leaves preserved in vinegar -1 teaspoon sweet paprika -1 teaspoon pepper paste or to taste -salt -pepper, freshly ground -sour cream, for serving (optional)

To prepare a delicious soup with smoked meat and beans, start by boiling the chosen smoked meat until fully cooked. Once cooled, separate the meat from the bones and cut it into small cubes, keeping the broth obtained from boiling, which will add an intense flavor to the dish.

Next, it is important to clean the beans, carefully selecting each bean to remove impurities. After selecting the beans, rinse them several times in cold water. Then, in a generous pot, add cold water, leaving a space of 4-6 cm above the beans, and let the beans soak until the next day. This process will help the beans rehydrate properly, reducing cooking time.

The next day, wash the beans again with cold water and put them to boil in cold water, making sure it exceeds the level of the beans by 2-3 cm. Simmer on low heat, covered, until the beans are half-cooked. Meanwhile, in a pan, sauté the chopped onion in two tablespoons of hot oil. Once the onion becomes translucent, add the carrots, parsley root, and celery, along with half of the green onion. Sauté the vegetables until they soften, releasing their flavors.

Once the vegetables are ready, add them to the pot with beans, along with slices of sausage, cubes of smoked meat, bay leaves, and sliced bell peppers. Complete with the hot broth reserved from the smoked meat, ensuring the soup is well combined but not too thick. Let everything simmer on low heat.

About 10-15 minutes before considering the soup done, add the diced tomatoes, tarragon, lovage, and dried thyme. If using these herbs fresh, it is recommended to add them only 5 minutes before turning off the heat.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, brown the flour without fat, stirring continuously until it takes on a light brown hue. Remove from heat and add 2-3 tablespoons of oil, sweet paprika, and pepper paste for a vibrant color. Mix well, then extinguish with a little hot soup, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps. Gradually add more liquid to thin the mixture.

Pour this composition over the soup, mixing well to homogenize everything. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let it simmer for a few minutes to bind well with the flour.

Separately, in a bowl, beat the sour cream with a tablespoon of cold water, diluting it with a little hot soup to prevent curdling. Continue to add a ladle of hot broth, mixing after each, until the sour cream mixture reaches the same temperature as the soup. Drizzle it in thin streams over the soup, stirring continuously.

Finally, sprinkle the remaining green onion and let the soup sit covered for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve the soup hot, either plain or with a spoonful of sour cream added to the bowl, accompanied by pickled hot peppers or sliced red onion sprinkled with salt and drizzled with vinegar. This is a perfect choice for a comforting and flavorful meal!

 Tags:  onion greenness meat carrots soups tomatoes bean pepper flour oil sour cream pig