Cranberry bean, Speck and Sauerkraut Soup

Now don't let the title of the recipe scare you off!  This soup is mmmm  mmmm good!  Okay, so I couldn't find cranberry beans and had to substitute navy beans instead.  And I also substituted about half of the water with beef broth.  And I didn't have any sage - so I ended up throwing in some oregano and basil.  But everything else was the same - honest!  Oh, and if you don't know what speck is, well, it's just proscuitto!  Now you might think this is a German soup - you know, because of the sauerkraut and potatoes - but I actually got it out of my ITALIAN cookbook.  That's right, ITALIAN. Of course it's probably northern Italy bordering on Austria.  It was just the right soup for a couple that is Italian (my hubby) and German (me!)!!

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 oz speck, cut into cubes or thin ribbons
1 small red onion chopped
3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh sage
1 cup dried cranberry beans, soaked overnight OR 1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups water OR 3 cups water, 3 cups beef broth
1 can or 1/2 lb. sauerkraut, briefly rinsed in colander
2-3 red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Combine the oil, speck and onion in a large pot and cook over moderately low heat until the fat runs, the speck browns and the onion is soft, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in the parsley, bay leaf and sage and continue stirring 1 minute more.

Add the beans, water and salt.  Cover the pot and bring the water/broth to a simmer over low heat.  Simmer 40 minutes or until the beans are tender.  Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Stir in the sauerkraut and potatoes and continue simmering until the potatoes are tender and the soup has thickened slightly, about 20-30 minutes.  Check seasoning and serve immediately.

Enjoy!