Senate Bean Soup (A Non-Trendy Comfort Food Recipe)

In the past few months, I've made a lot of soup.  This is my quick and easy version of good old fashioned ham and bean soup, the soup served every day in the U.S. Senate restaurant since 1903.


Senate Bean Soup

1 T butter
1-lb package frozen mirepoix mix (chopped onions, celery, carrots)
1/2 lb ham pieces
3 or 4 15-oz cans navy pea beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
salt to taste

Saute the mirepoix in butter in the bottom of a stock pot about 3 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and just barely cover with water.  Bring to a boil and simmer about 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf before serving.


We always eat cornbread with this, with lots of butter!