Ham soup

Tam West

Ingredients

1 Tbsp	Olive oil
75 g	Bacon, thick cut, rind removed and diced (Main)
1	Onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves	Garlic, crushed
500 g	Smoked ham hocks, rinsed (I used Freedom Farms) (Main)
1 can	Whole peeled tomatoes, 400g, drained and chopped
5 cups	Chicken stock, low-salt
1	Bay leaf
1 sprig	Thyme
400 g	Cannellini beans, drained and well-rinsed
2 Tbsp	Mint leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Heat a large saucepan over a low heat and add olive oil, bacon and onion. Cook until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
2. Add smoked ham hock, tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf and thyme. Season with freshly ground black pepper, cover and simmer on a very low heat (the liquid should be barely moving) for 2 hours or until the meat is falling off the hock. Top soup up with water or more stock if necessary.
3. Remove ham hock, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat. Return meat to soup with the cannellini beans and cook until all is heated through. Remove bay leaf and thyme stalk.
4. Add the chopped mint and serve hot with crusty bread.