White Bean Soup

After a truly relentless summer here in Texas, we have finally have a bit of a chill in the air!  For the first time in months, I am wearing full-length pants (instead of capris or shorts) and actual shoes (instead of flip-flops).  It has been a long time coming and everyone is just so darn excited to have the windows open, to be outside, to be ALIVE again!  

...and, of course, with fall comes SOUP!  Here's one I made on Friday -

White Bean Soup

Serves 8

4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock

8 cups (2 quarts) water

2 ham hocks

4 carrots, diced

3 stalks celery, diced (leaves included)

2-3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

3 cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 lb. turkey or pork hot Italian sausage, casing removed, cooked, and crumbled

1 sweet potato, diced medium

1 lb. red-skinned potatoes, diced medium

3 leeks, white-part only  (see note below)

1 lb. diced ham

1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped

garlic or Kosher salt, to taste

fresh-ground black pepper

Note:  Leeks tend to hold a lot of dirt within the stalks.  To prepare them, cut off the white portion of the stalks, then discard the green tops.  Trim off the root end.  Cut each stalk in half length-wise.  Slice the half-stalks, creating half-moons.  Place the sliced leeks in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly, making sure to separate the pieces so that all dirt will be removed.

Place the ham hocks, stock, and broth in a stock pot and bring to a boil.  Skim off any foam,  Simmer for fifteen minutes.

Add the carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and half the beans.  Simmer for another fifteen minutes.

Add the remainder of the beans, sausage, sweet potato, potato, and leeks.  Add a few cranks of black pepper.  Simmer for fifteen minutes.

Add the diced ham and kale.  Simmer until the kale has softened (five to ten minutes).  Check to see if the soup needs additional seasoning and add garlic or Kosher salt to taste.  

Yea, fall!

Cheers,

Krista