Easy Mediterranean Bean Soup

Mediterranean soup is Mediterranean cooking at its best. It is well known that Mediterranean cooking is one of the healthiest ways to cook on earth. Studies have been done on Mediterranean countries to see why the habitancy who live there live such long and salutary lives. Basically it boils down to fresh and natural locally grown produce, good olive oil, small meat, a glass of wine with their dinner, a slow pace of life that interacts with others often, and very close house ties.

Some of these great health assets have been given up in the "more advanced" areas of the Mediterranean that have taken on American-like diets and fast food restaurants. As a result, a decline of health is showing up in health statistics.

Anyway, this is a remedial soup that is appetizing and easy to make. Actually, this formula was designed for a pressure cooker. However, for regular pot cooking:

Easy Mediterranean Bean Soup

Soak the beans over night in the whole of water as indicated below, then, leave them in the soaking water, and cook the beans in a large covered pot until just done. Add the rest of the ingredients except the bread and cook until the vegetables are just getting tender.

Below is the pressure-cooker method.

Makes 4 Servings

6 cups water (1 or 2 cups less if pre-soaked)

1 cups Great Northern or Navy beans (soak overnight for faster cooking)

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1. Put the water and beans in the pressure cooker. Bring to pressure and cook for 60 minutes if beans have not been pre-soaked overnight or 30 minutes if they have been pre-soaked.

Test the beans to make sure they are just done. If not done, return to pressure and cook more as seems fit.

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1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped

1-1/2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leave

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/8 teaspoon pepper

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2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and cook under pressure for 8 minutes more.

3. Remove the lid and add chicken broth or water if the soup is too thick. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.

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4 pieces of toasted French bread, sprinkled with olive oil, salt and pepper

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4. Serve soup with toasted bread floating on top, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Delicious!

gas cooktop 30