Ham and Navy Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound dried navy beans

1 TVF ham bone + ham scraps (or two TVF ham hocks)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion chopped

4 stalks celery chopped

4 carrots peeled and chopped

6 cloves garlic minced

1-2 jalapeno peppers chopped fine (optional)

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1 Tbsp dried thyme 

2 tsps cumin

10 cups water

salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. The night before: place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with three inches of water.  Soak the dried beans overnight (up to 24 hours) to soften.  Drain when ready to use.
2. Place a large 6 quart pot over medium heat.  Add the oil, ham bone, onions, celery, carrots, peppers, and garlic.  Saute for 5 min to soften the vegetables.  
3. Add the drained beans, thyme, cumin, red pepper flakes, and 10 cups of water (plus any ham scraps).  Do not salt at this step.  The ham bone/hock can be very salty.  It's best to wait until the end and adjust.
4. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for 60-90 minutes, covered, until the beans are very soft.  Uncover and stir occasionally.  
5. Use a fork to pull any remaining ham off the bone and stir into the soup.  Discard the bone.  Add additional water if the soup is too thick.  Taste, then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
6. Serve with warm buttered bread and simple salad.  Enjoy!!