Great Northern Bean Soup

Photo: flickr user Greencolander

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon diced

1 onion - (1/2 lb) peeled, diced

3/4 cup diced celery

1 carrot - (1/4 lb) peeled, diced

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno chili

2 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth

1 1/2 cups beer - (12 oz)

3/4 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper

2 teaspoons Worcestershire

6 cups drained canned or cooked Great Northern

small beans or other white beans

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt to taste

Preparation

In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir bacon until almost crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons fat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic.

Stir often until vegetables are limp, about 15 minutes. Add oregano, chili, broth, beer, pepper, Worcestershire, and beans. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer to blend flavors, 20 to 30 minutes. Add cilantro, then salt to taste.

This recipe yields 15 cups; 6 to 8 servings.

Comments: Great Northern, the railway company, faded away in a merger in 1970. But its name is preserved at Denver's Great Northern Tavern. And clearly, chef Peter Braidman couldn't resist reinforcing the thought of the train. He has Great Northern beans (a variety) on the menu in a warming soup. He starts from scratch with dried beans, then adds them to the seasoned broth and vegetables. But because he's a mile high, dried beans take up to four hours to simmer until tender. Canned beans keep this soup on a tighter schedule - at any altitude.