Smoked Ham, Tomato and Butter Bean Soup
My family are soup addicts, they love soup. Whether it is a clear chicken broth or thick hearty soups they just love them. If I say we are having soup for dinner I know everyone is excited.
This soup was absolutely loved by all five of us. Served with some crusty Italian bread this was dinner.
We also really love ham hocks, soups made with them are simply amazing. But my new favourite thing is ham bones which I find slightly lighter in flavour than a ham hock. At my local deli I wanted a hock one day and they didn't have it, so Andre (one of my favourite deli employees) went and got me the hock part of a large ham. Now I'm not sure if it is like a smoked hock I usually purchase, but it seems less smoked to me anyway. Well I loved it, the flavour was amazing, it only cost $3, brilliant, and now when I spot the ham bone for sale I grab it.
This soup I even sliced up the skin and added it to the finished soup as it was so fresh and soft. Sometimes the skin can be thick and rubbery, don't add it, if it is.
If you like, as my family do, quite often I make Salt and Pepper Breadsticks to go with the soup instead of buying bread. My kids get very excited when I do this. While the soup is cooking, you make the breadsticks, they are really easy to make.
Anyway if you like thick, hearty soups, give this a go, it will not disappoint.
This soup was absolutely loved by all five of us. Served with some crusty Italian bread this was dinner.
We also really love ham hocks, soups made with them are simply amazing. But my new favourite thing is ham bones which I find slightly lighter in flavour than a ham hock. At my local deli I wanted a hock one day and they didn't have it, so Andre (one of my favourite deli employees) went and got me the hock part of a large ham. Now I'm not sure if it is like a smoked hock I usually purchase, but it seems less smoked to me anyway. Well I loved it, the flavour was amazing, it only cost $3, brilliant, and now when I spot the ham bone for sale I grab it.
This soup I even sliced up the skin and added it to the finished soup as it was so fresh and soft. Sometimes the skin can be thick and rubbery, don't add it, if it is.
If you like, as my family do, quite often I make Salt and Pepper Breadsticks to go with the soup instead of buying bread. My kids get very excited when I do this. While the soup is cooking, you make the breadsticks, they are really easy to make.
Anyway if you like thick, hearty soups, give this a go, it will not disappoint.
Recipe
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
700g smoked ham bone/hock
6 medium (1.1kg) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 litre chicken stock
1 litre water
1 teaspoon of vegeta
3 x 400g butter beans, drained, rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Zaprzak:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1 large red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
700g smoked ham bone/hock
6 medium (1.1kg) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 litre chicken stock
1 litre water
1 teaspoon of vegeta
3 x 400g butter beans, drained, rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Zaprzak:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon ground paprika
To peel tomatoes, score a small cross into the top of the tomato. Place in a heatproof bowl that is larger than the tomato. Fill the bowl with boiling water from the kettle to completely cover the tomato. Allow to sit for 30 seconds to a minute, then remove from heat and peel away the skin. It should come off easily.
Scoop out the seeds, then chop up the flesh.
Heat oil in a large saucepan, add onion and garlic, cook, stirring, until onion is soft.
Add the carrots, chopped tomatoes, ham bone, chicken stock, water and vegeta (make sure the liquid completely covers the ham, if it doesn't top up with a little extra water). Season with pepper, do not add salt at this point as you may not need it. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the ham comes away from the bone.
Remove the ham from the soup, chop up the meat, discard the bone. Return the meat to the pan.
Make the zaprzak: In a small frying pan add 2 tablespoons oil. Heat over medium heat, add the flour and paprika. Stir it constantly for 1 minute. If it is too thick add a little more oil. Pour in two ladles of cold tap water and stir to remove any lumps. Pour the flour mixture into the soup, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring the soup occasionally to ensure it doesn't catch on the bottom.
Add the butter beans and parsley, cook for another 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
Serve hot with Crusty Italian Bread.
Scoop out the seeds, then chop up the flesh.
Heat oil in a large saucepan, add onion and garlic, cook, stirring, until onion is soft.
Add the carrots, chopped tomatoes, ham bone, chicken stock, water and vegeta (make sure the liquid completely covers the ham, if it doesn't top up with a little extra water). Season with pepper, do not add salt at this point as you may not need it. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the ham comes away from the bone.
Remove the ham from the soup, chop up the meat, discard the bone. Return the meat to the pan.
Make the zaprzak: In a small frying pan add 2 tablespoons oil. Heat over medium heat, add the flour and paprika. Stir it constantly for 1 minute. If it is too thick add a little more oil. Pour in two ladles of cold tap water and stir to remove any lumps. Pour the flour mixture into the soup, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring the soup occasionally to ensure it doesn't catch on the bottom.
Add the butter beans and parsley, cook for another 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
Serve hot with Crusty Italian Bread.
Enjoy!
