Some one enquired about soups so here's my version of Navy Bean soup for your testing and it's best to cook it over 2 days:
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<br>Ingredients
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<br>3 smoked ham hocks
<br>4 cups dry navy beans
<br>2 large white onions
<br>4 sticks diced celery
<br>3 large carrots, grated
<br>1 14 oz can diced stewed Italian herbed tomatoes
<br>2 - 4 cloves garlic crushed
<br>1 tablespoon molasses
<br>small handful each of chopped chives and parsley
<br>spices as noted below.
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<br>Day 1; In an 18 litre stock pot put hocks and 10 litres of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until meat falls from the bone. Set aside to cool and then remove bones and skin from the pot. Break meat into small portions and refrigerate meat separately from stock. Place pot in fridge over night and skim the fats off the top next day. Soak beans overnight
<br>Day 2: Return the meat to skimmed stock and add presoaked and rinsed beans, diced onions, grated carrots, celery, tomatoes , garlic, molasses, chives, parsley and 1/2 tsp ground oregano, 1/2 teaspoon crushed chili, 1 tsp mustard seed to liquid in pot. In a cheescloth bag or one of those little gadgets used to contain tea leaves in a teapot (I think they are called tea balls) put 5 crushed bay leaves, about 15 cracked black peppercorns.
<br> Add water to a comfortable full level in the pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for several hours. Salt to taste after nearly completed cooking as the hocks bring quite a bit of salt to the stock and you are only adjusting. Remove and discard the spice bag at completion. I really recommend the teaball trick guys as it gets rid of those pesky bay leaves and hot spots when you bite a peppercorn and of course it's reuasable.
<br>This soup freezes well and we usually end up with several containers each large enough for a meal even after we've had the first meal. Serve with good rolls or crusty bread (hot sauces on the side for those who want a bit of fire to their soup).
