Smoked Sausage and White Bean Soup (Pressure Cooker)

1 pound dried navy beans, rinsed
1 pound smoked pork sausage, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 large ribs celery, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
8 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Soak beans in cold water to cover, overnight (8 to 12 hours). Drain beans and rinse well.

Cook smoked sausage in a large frying pan. Drain well on paper towels. Press excess grease from cooked sausage with another paper towel.

Combine all ingredients in a large pressure cooker. Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to come down naturally. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape.

Stir well, taking care to blend in the peas that have sunk to the bottom of the pan. Correct the seasonings, if necessary. Yield: 8 servings.