Senate Bean Soup

1lb dried navy beans
1lb ham (with bone preferably)
1 large russet potato, peeled and quartered
Kosher salt
1/2 cup milk
2 T unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Fresh ground pepper

Soak beans over night.
Drain and transfer to a large pot of dutch oven. Add 10 cups of water and ham. Bring to a simmer of medium heat then reduce the heat to low and cook until the beans are tender (1hr 30mins@)
Transfer ham to a plate to cool slightly then remove the bone if used, dice meant, return meat to pot.
Cover the potato with water in a saucepan and season with salt. bring to a boil of medium-high heat then reduce the heat and simmer until potato is tender. (20mins or so)
Drain the potato, transfer to a bowl with the milk and mash the potato with fork or masher.
Add potato to bean soup. Stir.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, parsley until soft.
Add veggies to the soup reduce heat and cool on low for one hour.
Add up to 2 cups of water if soup is too thick.
Season with salt and pepper