Ham Hock, Sweet Potato & Celery Soup |
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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 180 Minutes |
Ready In: 210 Minutes Servings: 16 |
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This tasty soup is easy to prepare in advance & freezes well. It's cheap to make, has low GI, is gluten & lactose free. Serve with oven warmed wholemeal bread rolls in big bowls. A winter warmer. Ham hocks rarely come much smaller that 1kg, so making a smaller quantity is hard to do. It also takes the same time to cook a large or small quantity, so I use it as a great time saver - with 4 adults in our house it provides one full meal for tonight & one full meal for for the freezer. If we're having a large dinner party, it easily provides 16 entre size servings. Control the fat content by cutting as much fat of the ham or bacon as you can manage. If you're really serious, allow the soup to cool & skim oil off the surface. Tastes even better when reheated. Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter |
2 large yellow onions, peel & roughly chop |
4 large garlic cloves, peel & rougly chop |
1 kg ham hocks or 1 kg bacon bones with plenty meat, remove & discard skin & fat |
10 bay leaves |
2 teaspoons dried sage |
1 teaspoon dried oregano |
1 teaspoon dried herbs (tarragon, basil, parsely etc) |
3 liters hot water |
1 bunch celery & tops, chop & discard the hard core end, roughly chop celery & tops |
1 kg sweet potato, peel & roughly chop |
4 teaspoons salt (to taste) |
4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper |
Directions:
1. 1. In a very large saucepan (about 4 lts) over low heat, melt butter & saute onions & garlic.
2. 2. Toss in all dried herbs, gently fry.
3. 3. Remove meat from ham bone & roughly chop, toss meat & bone into pan.
4. 4. When meat & onions just start turning brown, pour in hot water & stir well to remove all browning residue from bottom of pan.
5. 5. Add celery & sweet potato.
6. 6. Set temperature to gently boil & stir occasionally for about 2 - 3 hours.
7. 7. Add ground black pepper.
8. 8. Salt to taste (be careful, ham & bacon bones will vary in saltiness).
9. 9. Add a little water if required to keep soup fluid but allow to thicken.
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