Soup.
There’s hardly an occasion I would think it would be inappropriate for, be it to soothe after a bout of illness or to recharge after a long walk under the scorching sun. Or in my case, to nourish and cleanse after a recent corporate trip which saw a lot of singing, drinking and eating every two hours around the clock.
For some, it might be the act of baking a cake or making pasta by hand. But for me, making soup or stew of any kind is where the magic happens in the kitchen.
I mean really, water, some root vegetables, chunks of meat and a couple of hours and you get a hearty, flavourful soup? If that isn’t magic, I don’t know what is.
And this soup, this bowl of glorious soup, was nothing short of magical. With the delirious combination of sweet root vegetables, nutty beans and a smoked ham hock simmered for just over two hours, this soup was a beautiful symphony of flavours.
And it completely doesn’t hurt that the soup, like most others, keeps well and in fact seems to improve with time.
I had the leftovers tonight, reheated and given a new life with a glug of white wine and a generous amount of balsamic vinegar (my new favourite seasoning, courtesy of Thomas Keller- really makes the flavours jump out), sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. And I tell you, there’s no better way to warm a soul on a dark Monday night.
I’ll definitely be revisiting this one especially after I get back from Korea where we’re headed to later this week. We’ll be spending the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day there so here’s wishing you all a happy Chinese New Year and a sweet Valentine’s Day in advance! May you be well and amongst loved ones this festive season.
Mixed Beans and Ham Hock Soup [Loosely adapted from Nigel Slater's Appetite]
Ingredients
6 large handful of dried beans
1 bay leaf
A knob of butter
Olive oil
1 garlic bulb, peeled and sliced thinly
1 1/2 tsp sweet paparika
2 stalks of celery, leave removed and sliced into 1 inch pieces
2 small carrots, peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 leek (white portion only), sliced into discs
1 smoked ham hock bone
Couple slices of ham hock
3 large handfuls of dried shell pasta
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- To be done the night before Put the dried beans in a pot. Add just enough water to cover the beans. Add a few drops of olive oil and a bay leaf to the pot. Cover the pot and leave the beans to soak overnight.
- To make the soup Drain the beans and discard the bay leaf. Heat a large soup pot over high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the garlic slices and fry till fragrant. Add the smoked paparika and smoked ham hock slices. Cook until fragrant and ham slices are lightly browned. Add the leeks, carrots and celery. Cook until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add the beans, stirring well. Add the ham bone and enough water to cover the contents of the pot by about 2 inches.
- Bring the soup to a boil before lowering the heat so it simmers. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for about 2 hours until the soup thickens, skimming the surface to remove any oil and scum occasionally.
- Just before the soup is done, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the dried pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain and add to the soup.
- Season the soup with sea salt, balsamic vinegar and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Slice any ham on the bone off and discard the bone. Serve the soup hot and with garlic bread, if desired. Serves 4






















