Ham and Winter Vegetable Soup

1. 1

   If you are starting with some ham stock and the ends of a joint, strip the bone and place it in the stock and boil for about 45 minutes.

2. 2

   Remove the bone from the stock and strip off any leftover pieces of meat, set these aside and discard the bone.

3. 3

   Prepare the vegetables, peel and chop them into neat pieces, around the same size, the same way as you would for a minestrone.

4. 4

   Add the vegetables to the stock together with the bayleaf and bring to the boil.

5. 5

   Cover and simmer for 12 minutes, then add the drained, rinsed beans and plenty of black pepper.

6. 6

   You might not want to use all the beans, I used just over a half.

7. 7

   When all the vegetables are soft - check each type - add the pieces of ham, taste for seasoning and add black pepper if needed.

8. 8

   You won't need any salt.

9. 9

   Transfer 3 or 4 ladles of soup into a jug or bowl and process with a stick blender until completely smooth, then pour back into the soup, this gives the soup a creaminess, you could leave it as more of a minestrone clear broth, or process all of it, depending on how you like your soup.

10. 10

    Serve hot in warmed bowls.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

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