Ham Hock, Sweet Potato & Celery Soup

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large yellow onions, peel & roughly chop
• 4 large garlic cloves, peel & rougly chop
• 1 kg ham hocks or 1 kg bacon bones with plenty meat, remove & discard skin & fat
• 10 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs (tarragon, basil, parsely etc)
• 3 liters hot water
• 1 bunch celery & tops, chop & discard the hard core end, roughly chop celery & tops
• 1 kg sweet potato, peel & roughly chop
• 4 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 1. in a very large saucepan (about 4 lts) over low heat, melt butter & saute onions & garlic.
• 2 2. toss in all dried herbs, gently fry.
• 3 3. remove meat from ham bone & roughly chop, toss meat & bone into pan.
• 4 4. when meat & onions just start turning brown, pour in hot water & stir well to remove all browning residue from bottom of pan.
• 5 5. add celery & sweet potato.
• 6 6. set temperature to gently boil & stir occasionally for about 2 - 3 hours.
• 7 7. add ground black pepper.
• 8 8. salt to taste (be careful, ham & bacon bones will vary in saltiness).
• 9 9. add a little water if required to keep soup fluid but allow to thicken.