Ham and Bean Soup
Who doesn’t love a good Soup on a cold day?
This is a great recipe to use leftover Ham in. I make my own Ham Stock .The Stock is the heart of the Soup so it is worth taking the time to have a good base. I just make the Stock a few days ahead of time, and store it in the refrigerator.
This Soup is hearty and filling. I just love to make it on a cold Winter weekend for lunch or dinner.
HAM AND BEAN SOUP
Ingredients:
- 8 Cups Cooked Ham, diced
- 2 (15.8 oz.) Cans Great Northern Beans, drained
- 1 (19 oz.) Can Cannellini Beans, drained
- 7 Cups Ham Stock
- 1 Cup Apple Cider
- 1 Cup Carrots, shredded
- 1 Cup Celery, diced
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion, diced
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 1 Stick plus 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Freshly Ground Pepper
Directions:
1. In a large saute pan, add 2 Tablespoons Butter, Onion, Celery and Carrots. Saute the vegetables, over medium/low heat, just until tender. Set aside.
2. In a dutch oven or stockpot, melt 1 Stick of Butter over low heat. Whisk in the Flour and increase temperature to medium. Continue to whisk until mixture thickens, darkens slightly and bubbles begin to form, you don’t want it to boil, because a roux can burn easily. This roux will help to thicken the Soup slightly. Once the Flour mixture/roux is smooth and you start to see bubbles, whisk in the Ham Stock and Apple Cider. Continue to whisk until the mixture starts to boil. Continue to cook and stir for 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in the Ham, Beans, Carrots, Celery, Onion and Black Pepper.
4. Continue to cook and stir the Soup over medium heat until everything is heated through, about 20-30 minutes.
Serve with a nice crusty bread. Store any left overs in the refrigerator. You can also freeze any leftovers in tightly sealed containers.
Recipe by: Hot Dish Homemaker
