Smocked Ham Hock Bean Cabbage Soup Garbure Recipes

NAVY BEAN AND HAM HOCK SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse and sort the navy beans. Place in a Dutch oven with 8 cups water. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, until beans are softened, about 5 hours.
• Drain the navy beans and discard the soaking liquid. Rinse beans and return to the Dutch oven. Add ham hocks, chicken broth, 4 cups water, onion, parsley, garlic powder, basil, black pepper, oregano, nutmeg, and bay leaves. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Mix carrots, celery, and potato flakes into the soup until well combined. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more.
• Take ham hocks from the pot and place on a cutting board until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from the bones and cut into bite-sized pieces. Return meat to the pot and warm through over medium heat, about 3 minutes.

CABBAGE AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Soak beans in cold water to cover by 2 inches at room temperature at least 8 hours, or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below). Drain in a colander.
• Stick clove into onion. Bring ham hocks and 3 quarts water to a boil in a wide 6- to 7-quart heavy pot, skimming off any froth, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Add beans, onion, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, and garlic and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beans are almost tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
• When beans are almost done, peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add potatoes and cabbage to beans, then simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove ham hocks. When ham hocks are cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones, then cut meat into bite-size pieces. Stir into soup with salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf and onion.
• Spread butter on both sides of bread, then toast in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning over once, until golden, about 2 minutes total.
• Serve soup with toasts.

SMOKED HAM HOCK AND CABBAGE SOUP

Steps:

• Remove skin from smoked ham hocks.
• In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute carrots, onions, chopped celery, oregano. thyme, bay leaf, and ham hocks until carrots are tender-about 10 minutes.
• Add the cabbage, garlic, and black pepper, and saute 5 minutes longer or until cabbage is tender.
• Add all the liquid and the whole stalk of celery and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Discard stalk of celery and bay leaf.
• Skim some or all fat.
• Remove meat from cooled ham hocks and add back into the soup.
• Add brown sugar. Salt very carefully. Allow to heat fully and serve.
• If you want it a little sweeter, add a little more brown sugar.