Ingredients
1 pound dried great northern beans
1 meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks
3 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 celery ribs, chopped
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup mashed potatoes or ⅓ cup instant potato flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
Minced parsley or chives
Directions
To cook beans:
In large Dutch oven or soup kettle, combine beans, ham bone or hocks and 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover. Simmer for 2 hours.
To finish soup:
Skim off fat, if necessary, from beans. Add onions, garlic, celery, parsley, potatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour.
To cut up meat:
Remove ham bone. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bone. Discard bones. Cut meat into bite-size pieces. Return to Dutch oven. Heat through.
To serve:
Garnish with parsley or chive. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 to 10 servings