the pragmatic chef™

The Pragmatic Chef's White Bean and Ham Soup

1 ham bone
1 or 2 pounds of ham meat, medium diced
1 lb. dry white beans (Navy, Great Northern, your own combo...)
2 medium carrots- one cut in 4 for stock, and one small dice for the final soup
2 onions, one large, quartered for stock, and one small, med dice for the final soup
8 cloves of garlic
3 or 4 bay leaves
12 whole black peppercorns
1 T dry parsley
1 T dry thyme
1 t celery seeds
2 cups chicken stock (optional, but you might want it if you skip the stock-making step.)
Cold water to cover

1 T Survival Spice™
1 T tomato paste
1 T dry mustard
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Procedure:

Put your dry beans in some hot water in a work bowl. Put your ham bone in a stock pot, cover it with cold water and bring it to a brisk simmer as you add the rough chopped onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and the dry parsley, thyme and celery seeds. Simmer for an hour, then remove everything except the ham bone.

Drain the water from the beans and add to the stock and ham bone, along with the Survival Spice™, tomato paste and dry mustard. Simmer for 90 minutes, then add the additional carrot and onion. Simmer another 15 minutes, then add the ham. Simmer another 15 minutes until everything is tender and good to go.

Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy with crusty bread and a salad.