Smoked pork hocks must be spectacular in Hungary. Either that or the cooking blogs are caught up in the same national identity search, because all everyone puts out these days is "Jókai Bean Soup". My grandmother or mother never made bean soup with smoked pork hocks, but I had to try what they call Jókai Bableves.
JOKAI BEAN SOUP
2 pig's hocks*, smoked or
a small cottage roll
1/2 celery root, cubed
1-1/4 cups pinto beans
1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp parsley
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
2 garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 lb smoked pork sausage
sour cream
• Soak the beans for 24 hours.
• Rinse and pour off the soaking water periodically.
• In a large pot submerge 2 pig's hocks or a cottage roll with fresh water.
• Simmer slowly until the meat comes off the bones.
[Pig’s hocks take considerably longer to cook.]
• De-bone, cut up the meaty parts, and set aside.
• Add the chopped celery root and the drained beans to the broth.
• Cook until tender.
• Sauté the onions in 2 Tbsp olive oil until translucent.
• Add the parsley and flour to make roux on the lowest possible heat.
• Keep stirring to prevent burning.
• When roux is light brown stir in paprika and minced garlic.
• Ladle 1 cup of soup into the roux.
• Stir the roux smooth and pour into the soup.
• Adjust the salt, add the sausage and simmer for 10 minutes longer.
• Add the smoked meats and serve with dollops of sour cream.
* You really need 2 pig hocks
