IN ONE VERSION OR ANOTHER, I’VE HAD THIS SPICY bean soup from the Louisiana Delta right up to the Texas border. The most memorable I’ve tasted was made with the highly spiced and smoked Cajun ham called tasso, but since tasso is still not that easy to come by outside the region, I’ve learned that aged country ham works almost as well. While few Louisiana cooks would bother to simmer the beans this long and turn part of them into a purée, I find that the extra time and effort transforms an ordinary potage into a rather refined first course.

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups dried kidney beans
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup diced lean country ham
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the beans in a bowl with enough water to cover and let them soak overnight.
2. Drain, rinse, and pick over the beans. Place them in a large, heavy pot.
3. Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring it to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour.
5. Add the chopped onion, green bell pepper, garlic, diced country ham, chili powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to the pot.
6. Bring the soup back to a simmer, cover it, and cook for 2 hours longer.
7. Transfer about one-quarter of the soup to a blender or food processor and purée it until smooth.
8. Return the puréed soup to the pot and stir well to incorporate it.
9. Heat the soup thoroughly.
10. Serve the soup in soup bowls or plates.