A Glimpse Round The World

Instant Pot Orca Bean Soup

I used “Tuscan Bean and Swiss Chard Soup” recipe from Gourmet Magazine, January 2004 as a guide to make my soup.

ingredients

1 lb dried Orca (also called Calypso or Yin Yang) beans, picked over and rinsed
1 smoked pork hock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, ground in a mortar **
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cans chicken stock (about 4 cups)
3 ½ cups water
1 (3- by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
1/2 California bay leaf
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt (for pressure cooking)
1 bunch Swiss chard (preferably red or rainbow), stems cut into1/2 inch cubes and leaves folded and sliced crosswise*
1 bunch kale (any kind), stems removed and discarded, and leaves folded and sliced crosswise*
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Splash or two of wine vinegar

Notes: *1: optional – use at least one vegetable **2: if you happen to have a fennel/anise bulb use it instead of the fennel seed, chop bulb and saute it with the onions.

Instructions

Sauté pork hock in a little bit of oil in 6- to 8-quart Instant Pot for about 5 minutes turning frequently. Add chopped onions and cook until softened. Add garlic and sauté another minute.

Add beans, stock, water, cheese rind, bay leaf, and pepper. Pressure-cook: manual for 25 to 30 minutes and let pressure release naturally. I left it for a couple of hours while I was doing errands. Taste a couple of the beans to make sure it is cooked – older beans take longer to cook. My beans were old, so I pressure cooked it for 30 minutes. Remove and discard cheese rind and bay leaf. Remove pork hock to a cutting board, discard fat and bone and cut meat into a small dice. Add back into the soup.

Switch Instant Pot to sauté and add vegetable(s) when it starts to boil. Let cook for about 4 or 5 minutes. Switch Instant Pot to warm. Taste, add salt, pepper and white vinegar to taste.

Serve with slices of bread or crackers or white rice.