Ham & White Bean Soup

This is based on the Ham & White Bean Stew in The Big Book of Soups & Stews. Our version came out more like a soup than a stew but the flavor was very good. This was the perfect dinner for a night in front of the fire watching a movie while really cold winter winds whistled outside.


1 14.5-oz can Great Northern Beans, rinsed & drained
2 c chicken stock
2 c water
1 c chopped onion
1 bay leaf
1/2 t celery salt or Old Bay Seasoning
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 T tomato paste
2 or 3 drops Tabasco sauce
2 c cubed cooked ham (about 12 oz)
pepper & salt to taste

In a large soup pot over high heat, mixed beans, stock, water, onion, celery salt or Old Bay, & bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium & simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Add Worcestershire, tomato paste & Tabasco. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf. Remove 1 cup of beans & 1/4 cup of stock to a food processor & purée. Return to pot. Add ham & heat another 15 minutes.

serves 4

I decided to see how the bread recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day would work for dinner rolls. I cut off 1/4 pound pieces from the dough always standing ready in my fridge. I shaped them into little rounds & let them rest on a cornmeal dusted pizza paddle for about an hour.

I slashed a crossed into the top & baked them for 25 minutes...a perfect accompaniment for soup.