Lentil-lima Bean Soup With Smoked Ham

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried baby lima beans
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 celery ribs, diced, tops reserved and diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced, top reserved and diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 5 cups beef stock (preferably homemade)
• 1/2 cup dried lentils
• 1/4 cup finely diced smoked ham (preferably black forest)
• 1/2 bay leaf
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 combine lima beans and enough cold water to cover in small saucepan.
• 2 simmer until beans are just tender, adding more water as necessary to keep beans covered, about 45 minutes.
• 3 (cooking times will vary depending on dryness of beans.).
• 4 while limas are simmering, melt butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat.
• 5 add onions,celery tops,carrot top and garlic and cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• 6 roughly puree onion mixture in food processor and return to saucepan.
• 7 add celery,carrot,stock,lentils,ham,bay leaf and pepper and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
• 8 add lima beans and cooking liquid to saucepan and simmer 10 minutes.
• 9 cool completely to allow flavors to mellow.
• 10 season to taste with salt, remove bay leaf and reheat soup gently before serving.