Fear is part of the process. - White Bean and Ham Soup

Meal Time

Winter is here and in full effect across most of the country. Friends of mine are living through the Snowpocalypse in Nashville, and photos coming out of my alma mater, Ole Miss, brought back memories of the ice storm I lived through there in 1996. Three or four days without electricity, temperatures in the 20s the whole time, and no real plan other than layering up and waiting it out.

For me, cold weather means the dinner table needs to lean warm and hearty. Something that feels like it can hold the line against the weather.

For months, my wife had been asking me to make her a ham and bean soup. Apparently, her mom used to make it when she was growing up. I dug up this recipe, and it ended up turning into a few days’ worth of meals. I started by cooking the ham and serving it with the mac and cheese from last week’s newsletter. A few days later, I used the leftover ham and the bone to make this soup.

When I asked my wife how it compared to what she grew up on, she said it was different. When I asked how, she paused and said, “Well… this has flavor.”

I paired it with the brown butter cornbread recipe I’ve shared before, and just like that, winter felt a little more manageable.

White Bean and Ham Soup

A hearty, smoky white bean soup that is simple, filling, and perfect for cold nights.

Serves: 6 to 8
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus soaking time)
Cook time: About 2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry white beans (cannellini or Great Northern)

• 2 quarts water

• 2 to 3 pounds smoked ham shanks or ham hocks

• 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 1 cup diced onion

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 2/3 cup chopped carrots

• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Tabasco, to taste

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Fresh parsley, for serving

Instructions

1. Soak the beans
   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the beans, and soak for about 2 hours. Drain and set aside.

2. Simmer the ham
   While the beans soak, place the ham shanks or hocks in a large pot and cover with 2 quarts of water. Add the Herbes de Provence. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, partially cover, and simmer for about 1 hour.

3. Sauté the onions
   Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

4. Add vegetables and beans
   Add the drained beans, cooked onions and garlic, celery, and carrots to the ham pot.

5. Simmer the soup
   Simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and the ham meat pulls easily from the bone.

6. Shred the ham
   Remove the ham bones, pull off the meat, and return the meat to the soup. Discard the bones.

7. Season and serve
   Season with Tabasco, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve hot with fresh parsley on top.

This is What I Heard