So, here it is, the first day after Mr. C had surgery on one of the fingers on his left hand (and yes of course he’s a lefty), it’s rainy outside, and I’m thinking “what can I fix for dinner that will be both easy for Mr. C to eat and contain ingredients I already have”? Well the answer came to me immediately. Some like it hot! (Hot soup that is!) So I retrieved a ham hock from the freezer, set some cannellini beans on to boil and proceeded to develop a recipe that included the ingredients I had on hand.

Over the years I have found that some of my best dishes were conceived when I started with what I had readily accessible. No going to the store for that one precious ingredient, just making do with what was in the refrigerator and/or pantry. And all bragging aside, this soup turned out really really good. In fact Mr. C stated that it was one of the best soups I ever made. Now of course, Mr. C was still on pain pills, but regardless, I know a good soup when I taste one too!!

So give this soup a try. It’s delicious and just perfect for a cold and wet fall or winter meal. And please include the hot olive oil drizzle that goes on the soup just before serving. It absolutely makes the dish. So stay warm dear friends during this upcoming “season of the clouds”. And of course – think soup. It’s easy to prepare, inexpensive to make, and soul satisfying.

• 2 c. dry cannellini beans
• 6 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 3 tsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14 oz.) can chopped tomatoes (preferably Italian tomatoes)
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 2 c. water
• 1 good sized smoked ham hock
• 4 c. roughly chopped greens (kale, Swiss chard, spinach, etc.)
• finishing salt of choice or coarse kosher salt

In a small covered sauce pan, add the beans and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for about 2 hours. Or cover the beans with water and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Drain and rinse before adding to the soup.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for a few minutes until onion begins to soften. Add 2/3rds of the garlic, 2 teaspoons of the rosemary, marjoram, and pepper and cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, water, drained cannellini beans, and ham hock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 1½ hours or until the beans are tender. As the soup cooks, add more water as needed. Remove the ham hock when the meat is tender. Allow to cool and remove the meat. Set aside.

When the beans are tender, stir in the greens and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the greens are wilted. Add the reserved ham hock meat.

Meanwhile just before ready to serve, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the remaining garlic and remaining rosemary and remove from heat.

Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with the hot garlic rosemary oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Great served with toasted crusty bread.