HAM, BEAN and VEGETABLE SOUP
leftover ham (or a big thick slice of ham), cut into small cubes (should be about 2 cups or so)
about 1-1/2 to 2 cups of cubed sweet potato or butternut squash (I bought it already cut in the produce section, but still had to cut it into smaller pieces)
1 TB extra-virgin olive oil.........…......……………………….1 TB garlic, crushed or minced (or 2 cloves)
about 2 carrots, peeled & sliced...…...............…………..2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 smallish white or yellow onion, chopped...………..1 can Great Northern (or other white bean), drained
3 cups beef broth...………………………………………………….1 bottle dark beer, stout or ale
although I normally add Kosher salt to everything, I didn't need any salt b/c of the ham & broth, but taste and see if you need to add salt...…………………………………………………………1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. of EACH of the following herb leaves: tarragon, marjoram & thyme
2 TB fresh parsley, chopped
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Heat the oil on medium-high in a Dutch oven ~ then add the onions & garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Then I added the ham (which had some fat) and stirred that around until the fat was dissolved ~ and added the celery & carrots. Just stir everything up and let it saute for another minute or so (making sure nothing burns).
Now, add all the rest of the ingredients; stir it all up well and bring to a boil. Then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Let it simmer for at least 45-60 minutes (until the sweet potatoes are soft and the sharp alcohol taste has gone from the beer). You can even let simmer (on a lower simmer) for several hours, if you want. Taste and adjust salt & pepper before you serve.
Serves about 4 as a main dish (I serve crusty bread and salad with it)