Ham and Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped parsnips or carrots
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 meaty ham bone from a ham, or a meaty ham shank
• 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups cubed ham, 3/4-inch dice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil over medium high heat in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Stir in the onions, parsnips or carrots, and celery, then cook them for 7 to 8 minutes, until they’ve had time to soften. Add the garlic and let it go for another minute.
2. Set the ham bone or ham shank into the pot, then pour in 6 cups of stock. Drop in the bay leaves and thyme, bring everything up to a boil, then turn the heat down so the soup stays at a gentle simmer. Put the lid on and let it cook for 45 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and keep the soup simmering for 15 more minutes, just until the potatoes are tender all the way through.
4. Lift out the ham bone or ham shank. Blend half the soup so some of the potatoes smooth out and thicken the broth, while the rest stay in nice chunks.
5. If you used a ham shank, trim off the meat and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. Stir the chopped ham into the pot along with the black pepper.
6. Pour in the cream and stir. Taste, then adjust with salt and pepper if it needs a little more.