#80 Bulgarian Bob Chorba (Beans Soup)

Save the best for last, that's it! Some of the best recipes have been kept for the end of the 90 Soups for the Suoul Project. And one of them is the traditional Bulgarian Bob Chorba (Beans Soup).

The best variety of beans you can use should come from the Smilian village near Smolian, southwestern Bulgaria.
In case you don't have access to this variety, use a cannellini beans.
The recipe requires as well some traditional specific herbs as Mentha spicata (джоджен) and Winter savory (чубрица). To add more interesting flavours add fresh sweet basil and parsley as well.

You will need to soak the beans in cold water overnight or at least for 3 hours prior to cooking.

Serves 8-10:

500 gr beans - soaked overnight in cold water
1 carrot - diced
1 red pepper sliced
1 green pepper - sliced
2 onions - diced
salt olive oil - 4-5 tbsp


3-4 sprigs winter savoury
2 tbsp freshly cut leaves of Mentha spicata
5-6 sprigs parsley
basil leaves

Method:

On the next day rinse well the soaked beans, drain, place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil and discard the water. Pour water once again, bring to the boil and boil for some 50 minutes. Add the oil, salt, Mentha spicata and winter savourym the carrot, peppers and onions and simmer for an hour more.
Before serving sprinkle freshly cut parsley and basil leaves.

This will result in a white colour soup.