Slovak Bean Soup (Original and Easy Versions)

1 package of a-12 oz. bag of egg flakes (you will use 6 oz. of the egg flakes for this recipe)

Boil the ½ bag of noodles according to the directions on the bag, drain, and set aside.

In a Dutch Oven Pot:

9 C water

1/2 pound dried cranberry beans (roman or red can be substituted, but Mom used cranberry beans)

4 beef bouillon cubes

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp pepper (plus extra for me)

1/4 Cup butter

1/4 Cup flour

Bring water, beans and bouillon cubes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover pot with a lid and maintain a slow bubble.

Cook approximately 2 hours or until beans are tender. Add salt, pepper, and onion powder, turn off the heat. Let the beans and broth rest while you make the roux.

Roux:

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add flour and cook over medium low heat until medium brown, whisking constantly. Add 4 or 5 ladles of broth to the roux and return to medium heat to cook until all the roux is incorporated into the broth. (You can add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master at this point if you like a darker broth.)

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

***Now for the EASY RECIPE! (This one's for you Lynn.)

Slovak Bean Soup...Easy Version

1/3 package of a-12 oz bag of egg flakes (little square noodles.) measures 2/3 cup

Boil the 2/3 cup of noodles according to the directions on the bag, drain, and set aside.

In a medium size pot:

1 15.5 oz. can of GOYA Roman Beans (Do NOT drain!!!)

2 1/2 GOYA cans of water

1 or 2 beef bouillon cubes (you decide)

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp pepper 

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

Put the can of beans in the pot and add the 2 1/2 cans water. Bring to a slow boil. Add the bouillon cubes, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Keep over low heat at this point while you make the roux.

Roux:

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add flour and cook

over medium low heat until medium brown, whisking constantly. Add 3 or 4

ladles of broth to the roux and return to medium heat to cook until all the roux is incorporated into the broth. (You can add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master at this point if you like a darker broth.) Add your cooked and drained noodles. I let the soup rest, at this point, for an hour with the heat off and lid on. This gives it time for the flavors to meld. 

Once again...

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!