Soup Cream of Dried Beans

Rinse the dried beans under cold water and place them in a large pot with 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 60 minutes until the beans are very tender.

While the beans cook, peel and roughly chop the carrot, parsley root, and onion into bite-sized pieces.

Add the chopped carrot, parsley root, onion, and bay leaf to the pot with the beans. Continue simmering for 20 minutes to soften the vegetables.

Remove the pot from heat and let cool slightly. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth, or carefully transfer in batches to a blender and puree until the desired creamy consistency is reached.

Stir in the butter or oil and season with salt to taste. Return the soup to the pot if necessary and heat gently over medium heat.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and cubed toasted bread. Serve hot.