Ciorbă de Fasole (Bean Soup with Smoked Bacon and Chard)

This surprisingly rich, nearly-luxurious soup from Romania really deserves some more descriptive name in its native language than “Bean soup”. Nonetheless, that’s what it’s got.

Romanian soups generally fall into two classes: supă, which tends to be light—essentially broth with some additions of vegetables or dumplings—and ciorbă, which is generally thicker and more stewlike. It’s also generally somewhat sour or sharp-flavored due to the addition of condiments like borș* (which is fermented from wheat bran); or, lacking the borș, lemon juice or vinegar. 

For best results with this bean-based soup, seek out some relatively thick and seriously smoky bacon. (There are versions of ciorbă de fasole that use thin rasher-style bacon, and versions that use entire smoked ham hocks: so this version of the soup splits the difference quite nicely.)

If you’re not a fan of chard, feel no guilt whatsoever about swapping in whatever other greens suit your fancy. Green beans work just fine.

This soup is not quick to make, so be sure you have the best part of four hours available to let it simmer and completely develop its flavors.

*If you’re desperate to get your hands on some of this stuff, Amazon sometimes has it. But if you’re lucky enough to have a central European grocery near you, you might check with them first.

 Ingredients:

• 250 g haricot, pinto or butter beans
• 100 g piece of smoked bacon (and if you have some smoked pork or bacon bones, you might throw those in too)
• 2 l water
• 1 Cos lettuce, OR some green beans, OR a bunch of Swiss chard
• 2 egg yolks
• 150 ml sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Small bunch of dill

Instructions:

Soak the white beans in cold water for 3-4 hours.

At the end of the soaking time, cube the bacon. Drain the beans and put them in the saucepan with the bacon. (Make sure there will be plenty of room for the beans to expand.) Pour the water over. Bring to the boil, skim, and turn the heat down. Simmer the beans for 1.5-2 hours, until soft. More time may be needed… keep checking the beans.

Shred the lettuce or other greenery and stir into the soup when the beans are soft. Cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Mash the beans a little to thicken the soup. Mix egg yolks, cream and vinegar together, and stir into the hot soup.

Season. Chop the dill finely and scatter it over the soup. Serve with dark bread.

Yield: 6 servings.