Ham and Bean Soup

Method

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1. Put the beans in a large bowl, cover with three times their volume of cold water and soak overnight.

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2. Drain and rinse the beans.

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3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes, then the garlic for 1 minute.

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4. Add the beans, ham hock, water, bay leaves, thyme and pepper and bring to a boil.

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5. Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer 90 to 100 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beans are completely tender.

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6. Lift out the hock, pull the meat from the bone and shred it, discarding the skin and fat.

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7. Mash about a cupful of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup, and return the meat.

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8. Stir in the vinegar, taste and add salt if needed, then finish with the parsley.

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Chef’s Tips

• Salt at the end. The ham is salty and the broth concentrates as it simmers.
• Mash some beans against the pot to thicken it, with no flour or cream.
• A spoonful of cider vinegar at the end wakes up the smoke and fat.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried thyme at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Cornbread
• A green salad
• A cold pale ale

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 5 days. It thickens as it sits, so add water or stock when reheating. Freeze for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.