White Bean & Lacinato Kale Soup with Smoked Ham Hock

Name: White Bean & Lacinato Kale Soup with Smoked Ham Hock
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 3 cloves garlic, smashed; 2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 carrot, coarsely chopped; 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped; 8 cups chicken stock; 1 bouquet garni (1 tsp. whole black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, and 2 sprigs fresh thyme tied in cheesecloth); 2½ cups dried cannellini or Great Northern beans, soaked overnight and drained; 4 stalks lacinato kale (cavolo nero), or other kale, stems thinly sliced, leaves halved lengthwise and thinly sliced; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 smoked ham hock

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Soups and Stews

By The Editors of Saveur

Published 2015

About

This take on a Tuscan winter greens soup gets an unexpected flavor boost from a kitchen staple of the American South: smoked ham hock. After imparting its savory smoke to the beans, the tender meat from the hock is shredded and panfried for a crisp, flavorful topping.

Ingredients

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 r

Americas
Europe
United States
Italy
Winter
Gluten-free
Soup
Tuscany
Mediterranean

Method

Heat ¼ cup oil in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high. Cook garlic, celery, carrot, and onion until golden, 10–12 minutes. Add stock, beans, bouquet garni, and ham hock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, until beans are very tender, 1–1½ hours. Discard bouquet garni. Transfer ham hock to a plate and let cool, then discard skin and bo