So… yeh. NOT a great name, BUT, a very tasty soup!
Loaded with veggies (I basically cleaned out the crisper drawer) and finally dealing with the last of the Christmas ham (note to self: do NOT buy the whole ham next time), this soup came together from start to finish over the course of a gray winter’s afternoon, and was really quite welcome with fresh from the oven biscuits and butter on the side.
Though, corn bread would work, too.
INGREDIENTS
Stock:
•1 ham bone
•10 – 12 cups cold water
•1 bay leaf
Veggies:
•1 cup diced carrots
•1 cup diced celery
•2 cups diced sweet onion
•3 cups sliced ‘shrooms
•3 cups shredded cabbage
•1 baking potato, peeled and diced – about 2 cups
•2 tbsp bacon fat
•2 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
Soup:
•Ham stock, skimmed
•3 cups cubed ham
•Sautéed veggies
•1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
•1-1/4 cup frozen corn
•1 tsp dried thyme
•1 tsp dried parsley
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1 tsp black pepper
•1 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt
•1/2 tsp sweet paprika
•1 tbsp sherry vinegar (or cider vinegar)
•1 tsp Cajun Power Spicy Garlic Pepper Sauce (or your fave hot sauce, to taste)
•1 bay leaf
•1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Note: I also had a cup or so of seasoned, cooked ground turkey leftover from a batch of Soul Rolls that I add to the soup.
*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit of decent sherry (none of that “cooking” stuff) and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.
Cover the ham bone in a pot with water, add a bay leaf, then bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
Discard the ham bone, transfer the stock to a bowl to cool, then skim off any fat on the surface.
Melt the bacon fat (or one tablespoon each olive oil and butter) in the pot, then add the veggies and Sherry Peppers Sauce. Cook until the onion is tender and most pan liquids have been cooked off – about ten minutes.
Add the ham stock, thyme, parsley, garlic powder, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, Seasoned Salt, Sherry Vinegar, Cajun Power Spicy Garlic Pepper Sauce, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring every now and then, for 90 minutes
Give it a taste, add additional Seasoned Salt and black pepper, if you think it needs it, then stir in additional sherry vinegar, again, if you think it needs it.
One fine pot o’ soup!