Soupe aux Pois Rouges

Ingredients

• 1 lb kidney beans
• 2 qts water
• ¼ lb salt pork, diced
• 1 cup finely chopped scallions, including the green tops
• 2 sprigs parsley, minced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1 tbsp Scotch bonnet-type chile
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup hot water
• 6 individual shots dark Haitian rum

Directions

1. Pick over the beans, wash them, and put them into a large saucepan or stockpot.
2. Add the water and other ingredients, except the rum.
3. Cover and bring to a boil.
4. Then lower the heat, and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours, until the beans are very tender.
5. Purée the soup in a food processor or put it through a food mill.
6. Taste and adjust the seasonings and return the soup to the pot, adding up to 1 cup hot water to bring the soup to a thick, but not pasty, consistency and serve hot.
7. At each place, serve a cordial glass of dark Haitian rum, which the diners should add to their soup before tasting it.