Winter White Beans and Sausage

This can become a fairly time efficient dish if you soak the beans before going off to work, which speeds up cooking time dramatically.

2 1/2 cups (1 pound) great Northern beans

1 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp salt

2 onions, peeled and chopped into pieces the size of cornflakes

1 tsp pepper

1 pound kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch piece

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Pick over the beans, then put them into a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven; add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Let soak for at least 6 hours, but longer won’t hurt.

When the beans have soaked, drain them and return to the Dutch oven. Add cold water to cover, about 2 quartz. Stir in 1 Tbsp salt, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender. (Beans vary in cooking time, when they have simmered for about 45 minutes, begin testing them by fishing a couple beans out of the pot and tasting them.

Add the onions and if the broth tastes flat, add 1 1/2 tsp salt, or enough to make the taste pleasing. Add the pepper and sausage and simmer for 10 minutes.

Spoon onto heated plates and sprinkle with parsley.

Yields about 12 cups.