Soup Cream of Dried Beans

Ingredients

 * 3 qts/3 l water
 * 1/2 lb/250 g dried beans
 * 1 carrot
 * 1 parsley root
 * 1 onion
 * 1bay leaf
 * 1 tablespoon butter or oil
 * Chopped parsley
 * salt
 * cubed toasted bread

Directions

 * 1) Pick over and wash the beans and pre-soak in tepid water the preceding night.
 * 2) Then drain this water and set to boil in fresh tepid water.
 * 3) After boiling for a minute or two, change the water.
 * 4) Repeat this procedure three times.
 * 5) The last time, add, in addition to the beans, the onion, carrot the bay leaf and parsley root.
 * 6) Let it boil, covered, at low temperature.
 * 7) When the beans are tender, remove the carrot and parsley root, strain, then sieve the beans with the onion.
 * 8) Thin it with a little of the strained liquid.
 * 9) Set the soup to boil again, with a tablespoon of butter or oil and salt.
 * 10) After coming to a boil, add the chopped parsley. Serve with croutons.