Ham and White Bean Soup

Leftover "Christ Has Risen" spiral ham with bone
1 pound white beans soaked overnight or quick boiled for 1 hour (instructions to follow)
3 32 oz boxes vegetable stock
2-3 onions diced
6-7 stalks of celery diced or sliced thin
1 TBS herbs de Provence
3-4 Bay leaves
2-3 TBS Olive oil

Method:
Saute onions and celery on medium high heat for 5-7 minutes. Add the herbs and bay leaves and saute a few minutes longer. Meanwhile, dice up leftover ham and add to the pot once veggies are done. If there is any fat from the ham, throw that in too because it tastes great. Who cares about calories? Add ham meat and brown slightly, add 2 boxes of vegetable stock and the ham bone. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add white beans and third box of stock and continue to simmer additional hour. Salt and pepper to taste. I

I really recommend adding red pepper flakes as an extra punch. Oh, and if you are looking for extra veggies in your life, add a head of Bok Choy sliced thin about 20 minutes before you serve. You'll get the extra veggies you need and you'll add some much needed iron to your life and you will be able to say that you were able to cook with Bok Choy. Very hip ingredient and not many people do it...so it will add to your cool factor.

White beans: rinse and pick out any stones or ones that don't look perfect to you. Don't get super anal or else you won't have any beans left. Just pick out the ones that are imperfect somehow...like you would pick-through old friends. The ones that don't fit anymore, simply let them go. New beans will be there for you. Once they're rinsed, bring to a boil in about 8 cups of cold water and keep a kettle of hot water on the stove to add as the water boils out. Keep boiling for an hour or so. Here's the secret: Don't salt the beans. They'll get tough. That may be okay if you are having Hell's Angles over for dinner, but for beans in general, salting is a bad idea until you are ready to serve them. The skins don't do well with the extra salt.

Salt is pretty incredible commodity. I think if you aren't investing in gold right now, you may want to consider salt. Without it, life's got no flavor. There are a lot of interesting salts out there too. Let go of Morton and use something more interesting for a change.

Salt of the earth...the people of Seattle are the salt of the earth...unpretentious in so many ways and kind. There is so much kindness here, it is alarming. There is also a lot of soup. It is so frikking cold and miserable outside. I can't really believe that it is nearly April and there is snow happening...so to pass the time I make soup. It is good for the soul, helps the body heal and it will keep you warm.

So much love,
All the way from here,
Linda