New Orleans Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion
2 stalks celery
1 carrot
4 oz. smoked ham
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans red kidney beans
4 c. water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
dash of salt and pepper

Preparation

Peel and chop onion; rinse celery and carrot.
Cut into thin strips.
Cut ham into cubes or strips.
In a large saucepan, melt butter.
Add onion and saute until soft.
Add celery, carrot and garlic.
Saute for a few minutes until soft but not brown.
Add kidney beans with liquid, ham and water; bring to a boil.
Add crumbled bouillon cube.
Cook soup for a couple of minutes.
Add Worcestershire sauce, parsley, thyme, bay leaves and lemon juice. Bring to a boil again.
Cook for about 15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve piping hot.
You may season the soup with 1/2 tablespoon of molasses or 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.