White Bean And Ham Hock Soup With Arugula And Corn Bread Croutons Recipes

WHITE BEAN AND HAM HOCK SOUP WITH ARUGULA AND CORN BREAD CROUTONS

Steps:

• Make soup:
• Soak beans in cold water to cover overnight (8 hours). Drain and rinse well.
• Simmer ham hocks in 6 cups water in a 3-quart saucepan, partially covered, skimming foam as necessary, 1 hour. Reserve 4 cups cooking liquid and drain ham hocks.
• Heat bacon drippings in an 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion and garlic, stirring, until softened. Add tomatoes and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add soaked beans, broth, ham hocks, and reserved cooking liquid and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 hour.
• Make croutons while soup simmers:
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Melt butter with garlic and toss together with corn bread cubes in a shallow baking pan. Toast in middle of oven until lightly browned and crisp on the outside, about 15 minutes.
• Prepare soup for serving:
• Remove ham hocks and shred meat. Return meat to soup and stir in arugula. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco.
• Serve soup topped with croutons.

HAM HOCK AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Fill large pot with water and as it starts to boil, add dry beans and onion. Cook on medium-low till beans are soft, about 2 hrs., adding water as needed to keep beans covered.
• In another pan fill with water and add the ham and seasonings. Cook till meat falls off the bone.
• When beans are soft, remove the bones from the ham pot and add pot contents to the beans, including the water and the seasonings in the pan.
• Add the carrots and celery-cook on low till veggies are tender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add hot sauce at serving.

CORN BREAD

Steps:

• Heat dry skillets in upper and lower thirds of oven while preheating oven to 450°F.
• Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 1 cup melted butter, then quickly stir together.
• Remove hot skillets from oven. Divide remaining 1/2 cup melted butter between them, then divide batter between pans. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes total.