Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat and Tarragon
This Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat and Tarragon (Ciorba de Fasole cu Afumatura si Tarhon) is hearty, comforting and delicious.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound bone-in smoked turkey legs or wings substitute smoked pork hock or smoked pork ribs
- 1 large white onion diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 1 medium celery root peeled and diced
- 1 medium parsley root peeled and diced, substitute parsnip
- 2 small sprigs fresh thyme substitute 1 teaspoon dried
- 28 oz canned white kidney beans substitute cannellini beans
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the smoked turkey and add it to a large stock pot with 5 quarts of cold water. Set over high heat, bring to a boil, cover partially with a lid and cook until the meat is tender and starts to fall away from the bone, around 1.5 hours. Reserving the cooking liquid, transfer the turkey to a bowl, let cool to the touch, separate the meat from the bone and roughly chop the meat. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low or a gentle simmer and add the white onion, carrot, bell pepper, celery root, parsley root and thyme. If necessary, add more water to the pot for a total of 5 quarts. Cover partially with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have slightly softened, around 15 minutes. Add the beans, tomato paste, reserved shredded turkey meat and bones, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and fork-tender, around 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tarragon, and half the parsley. Cook for 2 minutes, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
- For best flavour, let the soup sit for at least 30 minutes before serving in individual bowls garnished with parsley and red onion on the side.