RICE AND BEAN SOUP

700 g fresh haricot beans or 500 g dried ones
1 medium onion
1 small carrot
1 stalk celery
1 bunch of fresh parsley
2 cloves of garlic
1 small piece of red chilli pepper
400 g ripe tomatoes
200 g rice
salt & oil, optional a vegetable stock cube

Shell the beans – if dried are used soak them overnight, and boil them in about 2 litres of water with the stock cube, taste and add the salt when the beans are almost cooked.
In a saucepan heat the oil with the finely chopped onion, celery, carrot and garlic for few minutes, add the tomatoes, chopped and the chilli, mix well and simmer for 15/20 minutes.
Add to the cooked beans and simmer for 5 minutes, add more salt if necessary and add the washed rice to cook until tender.
Instead of the rice it could be served with croutons.