Our #1 selling 15 Bean Soup® includes a smoky ham flavor packet which is a perfect substitute for the usual bacon or salt pork found in most chowders. After some calls to local grocery stores, I was able to find some “freshly delivered” (the joys of living in a land-locked state) Cherrystone clams. A few hours later, it felt like I was back on the coast again with a bowl of delicious clam chowder and amazing views of the… corn fields.

This recipe is considered a “New England” chowder because of the cream base, but it would also work great utilized in a traditional “Manhattan” style chowder (differences explained HERE). It really does help to get the freshest clams possible, so if you live somewhere like Indiana, call around to a few of the stores and see when they get deliveries.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup

1- Cup Roughly Chopped Clams (about 13-15 medium sized Cherrystone clams.)

2- Cup Diced Onion

2- Cup Diced Potato

1- Cup Diced Celery

1- Cup Diced Carrot

2-3 Cloves Chopped Garlic

2- Bay Leaves

2- Tsp. Thyme

1.5- Cups Heavy Cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

After a night of soaking…

1. Place the dry beans in a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water for several minutes. Check for any stones or debris and discard. In a large bowl, soak the beans overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain the leftover liquid and pour the soaked beans into a large soup pot with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

2. While the beans are cooking, rinse the clams thoroughly and place them in the bottom of a large pot (one with a lid). Add enough water to just cover the shells and bring to a boil (cover the pot). After about 10 minutes, all of the clams should be open (discard any that don’t). Remove from the water and allow them to cool, then use a fork or knife to remove the meat from the shells. Chop all of the meat and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid (don’t throw it away!).

3. In a large pan with 2 tbs. of olive oil, sauté the onion, carrot and celery over medium-high heat. Cook until the onions become slightly translucent, then add the garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

4.Pour the clam stock through a sieve to remove any sand or debris. Then add 4-5 cups of the liquid to the pot of beans. Stir in the vegetables, chopped clams, bay leaf and thyme. Continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low and…

5. Stir in the heavy cream, Hurst’s ham flavoring, salt and pepper. Allow the seasoning to incorporate for another 10 minutes before serving.

6. Serve with a good handful of oyster crackers or some crusty bread. You can also garnish with some freshly chopped parsley. I like mine with a few drops of hot sauce too!

I know I’m not the only one with dreaded memories of the monthly “Sloppy Joe Day” from my middle school cafeteria. The “meat” slop on a stale bun was always a little sketchy, but the concept is sound; a sweet and tomato-ey meat sauce on a burger bun. Try this recipe with a package of Hurst’s HamBeen’s® 15 Bean Soup and you will have no problem forgetting that plastic tray tragedy.

*Note: This recipe uses ground beef, but it would also taste great as a vegetarian dish if you choose to leave out the meat.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeen’s® 15 Bean Soup® (Beef Flavored)

1 lbs. -Ground beef

1- Cup Diced Onion

1- Cup Diced Green Pepper

1- Cup Tomato Ketchup

1/2- Cup Yellow Mustard

1- Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

2- Teaspoons Chili Powder

1- Tablespoon Brown Sugar

3- Cloves Chopped Garlic

1. Place the dry beans in a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water. Check for any small stones or debris that may be present and discard. Cover the beans with at least 2″ of water and soak overnight or at least 8 hours. (This will speed cooking time up considerably)

2. Place the soaked beans in a large soup pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 30-45 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Remove the lid and continue to simmer.

3. While the beans are cooking, brown the ground beef in a large saute pan and add to the bean mixture when done. Using the leftover grease from the meat, cook the onion, green pepper, and garlic for 10-12 minutes over medium-high heat. When the onions become translucent, add mixture to the pot.

4. Stir to combine. When beans are completely tender, add in remaining ingredients.

5. The final step is to add Hurst’s beef flavoring and simmer for at least 10 minutes before serving.

6. Serve nice and sloppy on a hamburger bun with your choice of sides. Enjoy!

***This is my submission for this month’s “My Legume Love Affair: 11th Helping“. If you would like to participate this month or any other, please check put the host lineup!***

(Thanks to All Kind’s of Word’s and Stuff for the cafeteria Sloppy Joe image)

]]> http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/05/19/15-bean-sloppy-joes/feed/ 13 hurstbeans P5152817 P5152752 P5152748 P5152839 P5152741 P5152764 P5152769 P5152773 P5152788 P5152797 MLLA11 Logo 350 http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/05/04/cowboy-caviar/ http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/05/04/cowboy-caviar/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 10:00:11 +0000 hurstbeans http://hurstbeanblog.com/?p=601 Continue reading →]]>

As summer quickly approaches, the idea of eating a warm and hearty soup seems to steer a lot of people away from utilizing beans in their everyday diet. Because they are so easy to add to any soup or stew, it is easy to forget that beans can adapt just as well to chilled dishes. This recipe features the “earthy” flavor of Blackeye Peas with fresh vegetables, and is tossed in a delicious tangy and spicy dressing.

The name “Cowboy Caviar” sums this dish up quite well; it is a refined take on a fairly unrefined product (beans). A web search will produce quite a few versions of the recipe (one of my favorites), but the problem I have found with many of these is the use of canned beans (go figure). The issue is that canned bean products are almost always too mushy and soft. The texture of the fresh vegetables in this case is completely ruined if you use a bean that can’t hold up, especially considering that this dish is always “better the next day”. Use dry beans and not only will the final result be much better, but you can make twice as much for 1/2 the cost…

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® Brand Blackeye Peas

1- Cup Diced Tomato. (substitute canned if you need to)

1- Cup Sweet Corn (cut from 2 ears)

1- Cup Green Pepper, diced.

1- Cup Diced Red Onion

1- Jalapeno, stemmed and seeded.

3-4 Cloves Garlic, peeled

4-5 Stalks Green Onion

1/4-1/2 Cup Cilantro

Juice from 1 Lime

1/4- Cup Olive Oil

1/4- Cup Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1. Place Black-eye’s in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly. Sort through the beans, check for any debris or dirt and discard. Place rinsed beans in a large soup pot and cover with at least 2″ of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for about 2 hrs. Check the tenderness periodically toward the end of the cooking time. When they have cooked through but are still hold their shape, remove from the heat and drain off excess water. Pour the beans into a large mixing bowl to cool off.

2. While the beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut the fresh corn off the cob and dice the tomato, onion, and green pepper into 1/4″ pieces.

3. In a food processor or blender, add garlic, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno, oil and vinegar. Puree mixture for 1-2 minutes.

4. Place chopped vegetables into container with beans. Pour dressing over the top and stir entire mixture to combine. Place in fridgerator for at least 1 hour (the longer the better) before serving to allow time for the flavors to meld.

5. Serve cold with tortilla chips for dipping.

This also makes an excellent side dish for any meal, and is great in a quesadilla or taco too!

Late last week, I still had a large portion of ham left from Easter lunch. Around here that usually means one (very delicious) thing: some homemade Ham and Beans. Check out this take on one of our most traditional and economical soup recipes.

There are multiple stories as to where Senate Bean Soup got it’s name. Some say the tradition began early in the 20th-century at the request of Idahoan Senator Fred Dubois.  Others argue it originated with Senator Knute Nelson (MN), who expressed his fondness for the soup in 1903. Either way, the soup has and always will be a daily fixture on the Senate Restaurant menu.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in the great bean cookbook from Rancho Gordo. Essentially, the recipe follows the traditional way to cook ham with beans and therefor has become a staple at post-Easter dinner tables. (Here, here, and here for just a few other recent examples).

What you need:

1-Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Navy Bean Soup

1-lbs. Diced Ham

1- Cup Diced Onion

1- Cup Diced Celery

2-3 Cloves Minced Garlic

1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley

1-2 Bay Leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

*Optional (but highly recommended)

Jalapeno Corn Bread

1. Rinse the dried Navy beans under cold water. Check for any debris or stones that may be present and discard.

2. Prepare the vegetables. Cut the onion and celery into 1/4″ pieces and give the parsley a rough chop. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and discard the peel.

3. Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil. Over med-high heat, sauté the onion and celery until they become slightly translucent. Add the diced ham and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic during the last 2-3 minutes.

4. Add 8 cups of water, rinsed beans, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 2 hours.

5. After 2 hours, the beans should be almost cooked through (if not, continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes). Remove the lid and stir in Hurst’s bean soup seasoning packet and the fresh parsley. Simmer for an additional 1/2 hour and add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve hot, garnished with a sprig of parsley and some warm corn bread (go ahead and dunk!).

In these economic times, everyone is looking for ways to cut corners, especially in the grocery aisle.

One solution: EAT MORE BEANS!