Martha shulman's pumpkin and white bean soup

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title: MARTHA SHULMAN'S PUMPKIN AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
  Categories: Main dish, Soups, Vegetables, Vegetarian
       Yield: 6 servings
  
       1 lb Navy or Great Northern beans
       2 qt Water
       1 ea Onion stuck with
       2 ea Cloves
       1 ea Bay leaf
   2 1/4 ts Salt
       1 tb Olive oil
       2 md Leeks, white part only
            -- washed well & minced
       1 lb Pumpkin or winter squash
            -- peeled and chopped
       2 ea Garlic cloves, minced
            Salt & pepper, to taste
       6 ea Sage leaves, slivered
 
 ----------------------------------GARNISH----------------------------------
            Additional sage leaves
  
   Soak beans overnight in plenty of water to cover.
   Drain beans and combine in a pot with the 2 quarts water, onion and
   bay leaf.  Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises.  Reduce
   heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.  Add 2 tsp. salt; continue to
   simmer.
   Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or non-stick skillet over
   medium-low heat and add the leeks.  Cook, stirring, until leeks
   soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the pumpkin and garlic and sprinkle
   with 1/4 tsp. salt. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring often,
   until the pumpkin begins to soften.
   Ladle in some stock from the beans.  Stir together and transfer the
   pumpkin mixture to the bean pot.  Cover and simmer 30 to 50 minutes,
   until the beans are thoroughly tender, even mushy.  Taste; adjust
   salt and add pepper.
   Remove the bay leaf and cloves from the onion.  Return the onion to
   the soup.  Put the soup through the fine or medium blade of a food
   mill and return to the heat.  Stir in the slivered sage and heat
   through gently, stirring.  Serve, garnishing each bowl with
   additional fresh sage.
  
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