8 Servings

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Ingredients 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1 medium onion, chopped 3 stalks celery 3 cups Ham Broth (see below) Chicken stock as needed 3 cans white beans Ham reserved from making Ham Broth Salt and pepper Tabasco (to taste) 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Directions

Saute the onion and celery in butter until lightly browned. Add Ham Broth and bring to a boil. Add cans of beans and their liquid, Remove 2 cups of the bean mixture, puree in a blender, and return to the soup. Determine if chicken broth is needed to bring soup to desired consistency. Add to ham to soup mixture, heat through. Just before serving, season the soup with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with parsley.

Ham Broth

Take a ham bone, cover it liberally with water. Add onion (2), carrot (2), celery (4), green pepper (1/2), salt, pepper and bay leaves (to taste). Simmer for 4-6 hours until broth is reduced by half and has reached a dark brown consistency. Strain broth, removing ham pieces, set aside. Discard the vegetable and reserve the Ham for the Soup.