Ham Hock, Tuscan Cabbage & Cannellini Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 leek, quartered lengthways, washed and thinly sliced
- 1 stick celery, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 200g Desiree potatoes, peeled and diced
- 300g zucchini, diced
- 400g cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small bunch Tuscan cabbage, trimmed and chopped
- 60g baby spinach leaves
- 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
Ham Hock Stock ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 brown onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 stick celery, chopped
- 300g bacon bones
- 1 x 1.4 kg Otway Pork ham hock
- 4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 9 cups water
To Serve:
- Char-grilled sourdough bread
- Grated parmesan
- Finely grated lemon zest
Method
To make the ham hock stock, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add carrot and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened. Add bacon bones, ham hock, parsley and water. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and gently simmer for 1 hour.
Transfer the ham hock to a plate. Strain ham stock (to yield approx. 8 cups stock) into a large bowl and set aside. Wipe pan dry with paper towel.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and celery and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until softening.
Add garlic and potatoes and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and 8 cups ham hock stock. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes until veggies are tender.
Meanwhile, remove ham from the hock, discarding skin, bones and fat. Roughly chop ham.
Add chopped ham, cannellini beans and Tuscan cabbage to the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes or until Tuscan cabbage wilts.
Serve with char-grilled sourdough bread, parmesan and lemon zest.
Recipe courtesy of Australian Pork Limited.
