Bruine Bonensoep (Dutch Brown Bean Soup with Bacon)

• 300 g Cranberry beans, dried
• 150 g Bacon
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 2 medium Carrot
• 300 g Celeriac
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper, plus more to serve
• 300 g Smoked sausage
• 15 g Fresh parsley

1. Put the cranberry beans in a large pot and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse. This quick pre-boil helps the beans cook more evenly.
2. Return the beans to the pot and add 1.5 litres of fresh cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Keep the heat low so the beans cook without splitting too much.
3. Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small pieces. Peel and dice the yellow onion, carrots and celeriac into small, even chunks so they soften at the same rate.
4. Add the bacon, onion, carrot, celeriac and bay leaves to the pot. Season with the fine sea salt and black pepper, then simmer gently, partially covered, until the beans are tender and the vegetables are very soft. Stir occasionally and top up with a little water if it reduces too quickly.
5. Slice the smoked sausage into thick rounds and add to the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sausage is heated through and the soup tastes rounded and smoky.
6. For a thicker soup, mash a few spoonfuls of beans against the side of the pot, then stir back in. Remove the bay leaves, then taste and adjust with a little more fine sea salt and black pepper if needed.
7. Finely chop the fresh parsley and stir most of it through the soup. Ladle into bowls and finish with the remaining parsley and an extra grind of black pepper. Serve piping hot.

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