Now that it is officially the Monday after Easter, plenty of people here in Fishers, IN will be finding themselves in a pile of leftover food from last night’s big family dinner. With that being said, dental implant provider Dr. David Taler and the rest of his staff at Advanced Family Dentistry hate seeing food go to waste when. This is why we have decided to share with you one of our favorite recipes that can be made using leftover Easter ham.
Bearing the above information in mind we want to also state that this recipe is a staple in our households. As an added bonus this recipe contains elements that benefit your teeth. Hopefully, it becomes as much a tradition in your house as it is in ours
White Bean Ham Bone Soup
Many people already know that one of the most popular main courses which grace tabletops on Easter Sunday across the nation is a spiral cut ham. More often than not these hams are smoked or roasted with a large bone still inside them. When it comes time to carve and eat the ham, the meat must be cut away from it and then served. However, what many people don’t know is the fact that although the bone is not edible, it’s not trash!
Ham bones left over from spiral cut hams always have large portions of juicy meat still clinging to them. On top of this, ham bones are full of flavor and need very little seasoning. This means they make for one of the best soup bases any cook could ever ask for. Plus, the marrow that seeps into the soup from the bone while it’s being cooked aids the health of both your joints and teeth!
Here is the recipe for our favorite white bean and ham soup. We edited this recipe to our specific taste from a website called Chowhound.com. However, here is a link to the original recipe if you wish to see it.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried cannellini beans
- 3 1/2 quarts (14 cups) water, plus more for soaking the beans
- 1 meaty smoked ham bone left over from Easter dinner
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 clove of minced fresh garlic
- 2 medium celery stalks
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 cups medium-dice, fully cooked smoked ham (about 8 ounces)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
- Place the beans in a large bowl and pick through them, removing and discarding any broken beans or stones. Cover them with at least 3 inches of cold water. Allow to soak uncovered and at room temperature at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander and set aside.
- Place the measured water and ham bone or hocks in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
- Add the soaked beans and thyme, stir to combine (leave the bone or hocks in the pot), and return to a simmer, skimming the surface with a spoon as necessary to remove any scum. Cook, stirring occasionally until the beans are almost completely tender but still a little underdone in the center, about 1 hour (the beans should not be completely cooked because they will cook more later).
- Meanwhile, peel and cut the carrots into medium dice and place in a medium bowl. Cut the celery and onion into medium dice and add them to the bowl with the carrots. Add the diced vegetables and measured salt to the pot, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until the beans and vegetables are tender and the meat is falling off the bone, about 40 minutes more. Turn off the heat.
- Remove the ham bone or hocks to a cutting board and let sit until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones and set it aside (discard the skin and bones).
- Using a potato masher, lightly mash half of the beans and vegetables, leaving the remaining half intact. Stir in the diced and reserved ham. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with a rustic whole wheat bread. Enjoy!
We edited this recipe to our specific taste from a website called Chowhound.com. However, here is a link to the original recipe if you wish to see it.
Until next time readers, keep smiling.
