Recipe: Cream of Lima Bean Soup and Kidney Bean Variation (veganizable)

This was entrant #3 in our fall & Winter Soup Contest. Thoughts on the soup-- which we called 'Creamy Bean' for short-- here. More on the Soup Contest here.

CREAM OF LIMA BEAN SOUP AND KIDNEY BEAN VARIATION
Serves 4 to 6

2 ½ C canned or cooked lima beans, cooked covered in water just to cover plus 1 quart additional cold water, rubbed through a sieve with cooking water  
2 Tbsp fat 
1 small onion, diced 
¼ C carrot, peeled, diced 
2 Tbsp flour 
1 tsp salt 
½ tsp pepper 
½ tsp paprika 
Dash Tabasco 
2 C milk, scalded 
Chopped watercress 

Melt fat in saucepan, add onion and carrot, and cook for 5 minutes. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and Tabasco to make a smooth roux, and add to bean mixture. Add milk and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Serve hot garnished with watercress.

KIDNEY BEAN SOUP VARIATION 
Substitute canned or cooked kidney beans for lima beans.