Bob Strauch writes:
BB member Ed Tantsits recently mentioned that he's been searching for a recipe for a meatless bean soup with sour cream that was made by his mother and grandmother. I've only ever had bean soups that were made with smoked meat. So, I searched through my copy of "Vom Essen auf dem Lande" by Franz Maier-Bruck, the bible of Austrian regional home cooking. In the chapter on Burgenland, I found a meatless potato soup to which beans can also be added. In the chapter on Lower Austria, I found a recipe for a meatless sour cream soup, which also can be enhanced by the addition of potatoes or beans.
"Boundlsupp'm" (Bean Soup) is the exact recipe for Grumbiansupp'm (Potato Soup), the only difference being the addition of cooked beans.
(from Franz Maier-Bruck, suggested by Bob Strauch)
- 300-400 grams potatoes, peeled and diced
- water (no amount given)
- salt
- pepper
- caraway
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- a few celery leaves, chopped
- thyme
- 1/2 Bay leaf
- 1/8 liter sour cream
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- vinegar
- 150 grams dried beans
Soak beans overnight, then cook until soft.
Cook potatoes until done in lightly salted water with pepper, caraway, garlic, celery leaves, thyme, and Bay leaf. Whisk together sour cream and flour and stir into the soup. Add vinegar to taste, if desired. Add the cooked beans, then bring back to a simmer briefly before serving.