Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 2  carrots diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 6 cups chicken stock see 
• 2 cups ham diced cooked (omit if you are using ham hocks)
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1  ham bone (or 2 ham hocks)
• 1 pound beans such as navy dried white picked over
• 1 tablespoon oil 
• 1  onion diced
• 4 servings salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves chopped

Equipment

• frying pan
• blender

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
3. Add the broth, white beans and ham bone, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, until the beans are tender, about 1-2 hours.
4. Remove the bone or ham hocks and if you are using the ham hocks, strip the meat from them and dice or shred it.Optionally puree some or all of the soup with a blender, add the ham and season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.