Green, Even in Winter

Louis Osteen's Country Ham and White Bean Soup with Mustard Greens

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

½ pound dried Great Northern white beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ pound country ham, trimmed of all fat and julienned into ¼-inch-by-1-inch pieces
1 cup finely diced yellow onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
8 ounces mustard greens, rinsed and stemmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Pick through the beans for stones and imperfections. Rinse well in cold water. Cover with water and soak overnight. When ready to cook the beans, drain them and rinse again with cold water. Set in a colander to drain.

2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the ham, onion, garlic, and thyme. Stir well to combine, and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes or until the onion is translucent but not brown. Add the beans and chicken stock and simmer for about 1 hour or until the beans are tender but not mushy. Add the mustard greens and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are tender and wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind that the country ham has already added salt to the soup.

Note: When adding the greens, you may well need more liquid. Also, homemade stock is preferable because it is not as salty as store-bought. If using the latter you may want to dilute it a bit with water. Finally, prosciutto or pancetta may be substituted for the country ham, and other greens for the mustards. This is excellent with skillet cornbread.

© 2008