You will need a large saucepan. Pick over the beans for bits of grit and chaff, and rinse them twice in cold water. Put the beans in a large saucepan and cover them with water to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil and then turn down the heat. Leave to simmer gently for half an hour.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour in enough cold water to cover the beans to a depth of 3 inches. The beans will settle on the bottom. Leave them for a minute or two; then pour off the water and replace with fresh water. Bring the water to a boil and then turn down the heat to simmer.

Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, tomato paste, carrot, and peppercorns to the beans. Cook gently over very low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beans are soft. After 45 minutes of the cooking, add the kielbasa.

Fifteen minutes before you are ready to serve, add the salt and prepare a liaison for the soup. Heat the oil until it is smoking lightly; then quickly stir in the paprika, followed by the flour. Mix to a thin paste. Add this to the soup, stirring well. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the soup is thick and rich.

Serve with plenty of bread and good red wine.

Serves 5 to 6. Time: 2 to 2 1/2 hours

Cooking by Elisabeth Luard, Isbn 0-553-05219-5