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7 Reviews
Meg O.
November 22, 2020
I find this recipe comes out much better if you first chop or cut the bacon into 1/2 cm wide sections of the slices, and then brown them in the bottom of the soup pot. You won't need to drain them, the little bit of fat adds to the flavor of the soup, and you get that wonderful browned bacon taste that adds to your soup. It also cooks the fat so you won't get that scum you need to skim off, and makes sure the bacon has been fully cooked for food safety. All plusses, and it doesn't take much time.
To make it take even less time, since I often add chopped bacon to beans and bean soups, I buy a pound of bacon for that purpose, and cut it across the sliced bulk in 1/2 cm wide pieces, and freeze in 1/3 or 1/4 lb. amounts in doubled freezer bags. Then when I need it, all the work has been done, so I take it out of the bag, pop it into the pot, turn the heat on lowest possible setting with a lid on and ignore it for 10 minutes as I chop the veggies and let the heat steam it until thawed. Then turn up the heat and stir to brown, without the lid, then proceed with your soup recipe.
Also would mention, since I know this as a chemist, and you might not, that if you have hard water, that in itself can cause the scum you get, and that if you have a water softener, the usual practice is to soften only the hot water tap in the kitchen sink. So I use the softened water, since the scum is a reaction between the hard water ions and the fat molecules in your food (or tannins in your tea, etc.) so if you use the softened water, you don't get the scum in the first place. So I use the hot water to heat for tea or hot chocolate, to make soup, and for other foods I've noticed unattractive scum form on in the past. The scum isn't harmful, but is unsightly and sometimes acquires an odd flavor, that can wreck my enjoyment of that cup of tea or hot chocolate or cappuccino. Using the softened water eliminates the scum.
And for those of you who have been told that the sodium in the softened water is bad for you, it might be for those on potassium depleting heart medications, (most of which are no longer used, check with your pharmacist), BUT ONLY IF the sodium was very concentrated. It isn't. It's very very dilute. So, although this urban myth has been studied over and over, NO NEGATIVE EFFECTS of drinking or cooking with softened water HAVE EVER BEEN OBSERVED. It simply doesn't happen. Softening your water DOES NOT make it unsafe to drink.
To make it take even less time, since I often add chopped bacon to beans and bean soups, I buy a pound of bacon for that purpose, and cut it across the sliced bulk in 1/2 cm wide pieces, and freeze in 1/3 or 1/4 lb. amounts in doubled freezer bags. Then when I need it, all the work has been done, so I take it out of the bag, pop it into the pot, turn the heat on lowest possible setting with a lid on and ignore it for 10 minutes as I chop the veggies and let the heat steam it until thawed. Then turn up the heat and stir to brown, without the lid, then proceed with your soup recipe.
Also would mention, since I know this as a chemist, and you might not, that if you have hard water, that in itself can cause the scum you get, and that if you have a water softener, the usual practice is to soften only the hot water tap in the kitchen sink. So I use the softened water, since the scum is a reaction between the hard water ions and the fat molecules in your food (or tannins in your tea, etc.) so if you use the softened water, you don't get the scum in the first place. So I use the hot water to heat for tea or hot chocolate, to make soup, and for other foods I've noticed unattractive scum form on in the past. The scum isn't harmful, but is unsightly and sometimes acquires an odd flavor, that can wreck my enjoyment of that cup of tea or hot chocolate or cappuccino. Using the softened water eliminates the scum.
And for those of you who have been told that the sodium in the softened water is bad for you, it might be for those on potassium depleting heart medications, (most of which are no longer used, check with your pharmacist), BUT ONLY IF the sodium was very concentrated. It isn't. It's very very dilute. So, although this urban myth has been studied over and over, NO NEGATIVE EFFECTS of drinking or cooking with softened water HAVE EVER BEEN OBSERVED. It simply doesn't happen. Softening your water DOES NOT make it unsafe to drink.
ronaldcarmona
October 21, 2021
Hello Meg I'm Ron in Los Angeles. I am impressed by your knowledge of food interactions and chemistry. I know this is getting off the subject but can you tell me if water quality, whether hard or soft, has anything to do with how good a pizza dough you can make? I'm a beginner and my dough springs back on me. It's nothing like the ones that the pros are able to toss in the air and stretch. They are way ahead of me on that. I know it's complicated and involves the type of flour used and refrigeration time ect, but should I just use bottled purified water to avoid any bad effect tap water may have on the dough? Thanks for your help.
Hilarybee
May 9, 2011
I made this in my slow cooker this morning. (On high for about 2 1/2 hours). I had a few "tastes"- it is wonderful. I used chili powder, garlic powder, and a touch of cumin. I'm serving it with spelt berries, avocado and spicy pan-fried tofu this evening. Thank you!
AntoniaJames
April 2, 2011
I just stirred some of these into my morning steel cut oats -- I'd frozen half of last weekend's pot of them -- with a few shavings of ricotta salata and a splash of red wine vinegar. Sensational! It's my new favorite breakfast. I have another pot on the stove, as I write this. ;o)
AntoniaJames
March 25, 2011
So looking forward to trying these! Will not be using chili powder, but instead some toasted cumin and one black cardamom pod. Really like all the serving suggestions . . . haven't made corn muffins for Mr T for a while, so I plan to make some to go with these. ;o)
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