crumbly bean soup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 small Hokkaido pumpkin (se), approx. 450 g
• 200 g potatoes
• 500 g beans, green, fresh
• 1 m.-sized onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 1 small can of black beans, 260 g drained weight
• 1 liter of water
• 2 tbsp smoked Tabasco
• Salt and pepper, freshly ground
• 1 pinch of baking soda
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• a few stalks of parsley

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

with pumpkin and smoked Tabasco

Halve the pumpkin. Cut off the stem and flower end. Remove the pumpkin seeds and the soft inside with a spoon. Dice the pumpkin. Peel and dice the potatoes. Place the pumpkin, potatoes, 500 ml water, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes until soft. Using a hand blender, puree the pumpkin in the pan until smooth. Place the black beans in a sieve, rinse with water, and let drain. Set aside. Remove the stems from the green beans and cut them into small 1-2 cm pieces. Bring the beans to a boil with 500 ml water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the baking soda and cook over low heat for about 10-12 minutes until al dente. Be careful, the baking soda will cause the mixture to foam during cooking—simply stir frequently and reduce the heat. Place in a sieve and let drain. Peel the onion and garlic and chop them into small cubes. Heat the olive oil gently in a pan and sauté the onions and garlic. They should take on a little color, but not over-brown. Now add the green beans, black beans, onions, and garlic to the pot with the pureed pumpkin and potato mix. Add Tabasco, season with salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. If the ingredients have cooled too much, gently reheat the soup. Garnish each bowl with a few parsley leaves.