Soup Beans

Method

1. Tip 120 g of dried pinto beans onto a tray and pick out any stones, grit or split beans. Rinse under cold water, then put them in a bowl, cover with cold water by a good 5 cm and leave to soak overnight, or at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse again.
2. Put the drained beans into a heavy saucepan or small Dutch oven with 750 ml of water. Add 25 g of diced salt pork, 40 g of finely chopped onion, 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 bay leaf.
3. Bring to a full boil over high heat and skim off the grey foam that rises in the first few minutes. Turn the heat right down to the barest simmer, set the lid on ajar and cook for 2 hours, stirring every half hour so nothing catches on the bottom. Add a splash of hot water only if the beans ever rise above the liquid — you want them just covered, not swimming.