Winter is quickly on its way, which means one important thing: it’s stew season! Warm up with this White Bean & Ham Hock Stew, which is ready to serve 6-8 people in about 2 1/2 hours.
To keep yourself toasty before (and while) the stew is ready to savor, sip on a seasonal & wintry wine. French white wines are always a good choice — we recommend Beaujolais Blanc from Laurent Perrachon Winery.
So now that you have your wine glass ready, let’s stock up on ingredients and get to cooking:
Ingredients:
- 3 smoked ham hocks
- 3 15 oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 quarts low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 quart water
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 large potato, peeled and diced
- 1 large rib of celery, diced
- 1 large leek, white section only, cut in half and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a large pot, add the stock, water, and ham hocks. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 1 hour.
- Add the onion, carrot, potato, celery, leek, garlic, thyme, and tomato paste and simmer, covered for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove the ham hocks and pick the meat, discarding the skin and bones. Add the meat back to the stew. Add the drained beans and simmer uncovered for another 20-30 minutes.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with thick slices of toasted crusty bread.
Now that you’ve prepared your meal, it’s time to curl up under a blanket with your glass of French white wine and enjoy your seasonal creation of White Bean & Ham Hock Stew. Enjoy!