Simple Ham and White Bean Soup
This simple ham and white bean soup is a great comforting meal that is very easy and relatively quick to make. Paired with some nice bread like a sourdough, it provides a wonderful warm meal for chilly evenings. As with most soups, the specifics can be tweaked to accommodate individual tastes and ingredients but this recipe gives the template for a great dish.
Ingredients:
· 1 small head of green cabbage, roughly chopped, core removed
· 1 leek, thinly sliced
· 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
· 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
· 1 can of cannellini beans
· 1 can of great northern beans
· 1 lb of diced ham
· 6 cups chicken stock
· 3 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a pot or Dutch oven. Add the leek and sauté until soft but without browning. Add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Add the vinegar and reduce for another 30 seconds or so, until the smell is no longer overwhelmingly acidic.
2. Add the ham and continue sauteing about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring, until the cabbage has softened slightly.
4. Add the beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 45 min - 1 hr. Season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper
6. Enjoy
Notes:
· Some salt can be added during the sauteing process with the leeks or the cabbage in order to help draw out liquid however caution should be used depending on how salty the ham is. It is safer to wait until after simmering so as not to make to soup too salty.
· The type of bean can be varied based on personal preference. Good alternatives would be kidney beans or navy beans. You can also use dried beans in place of canned, just make sure you end up with roughly 30 oz of beans post-soak and ensure that the cooking time/temperature is adjusted so the beans are thoroughly cooked.
· The final liquid to solid ratio of the soup is up to personal preference so you can add extra stock or water to achieve the desired result.
