- 2 c. dried red beans, washed & sorted
- 1/3 c. olive oil
- 1 1/2 white onions, diced
- 2 tsp. salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 - 7 oz. can diced green chili peppers
- 2 parsnips, peeled & chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled & chopped
- 1 yellow squash, sliced
- 1 zucchini, trimmed & sliced
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- Red or green salsa
Wash, sort and generally pick over the dried beans, discarding debris. Place the beans in a pot with 2 quarts of water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until the small beans are creamy, not powdery, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onions with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and reduce the heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the aroma is released.
Pour the red beans and cooking liquid into the stockpot, along with the chili peppers, parsnips and carrots. Turn the heat up to medium and cook at a low boil for 10 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes longer. Ladle into large bowls and serve hot with a dollop of salsa.
- Yields: 4 to 6 servings
- Preparation Time: less than 2 hours