Name: Farro, white bean and smoked ham soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tbsp mild-flavoured olive oil, plus extra to serve; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 celery stalks, diced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 smoked ham hock (about 900gm); 200 gm dried white beans, soaked overnight in cold water, drained; 150 gm farro (see note), rinsed; 1.3 litres chicken stock; Finely grated parmesan and finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional), to serve

Farro, white bean and smoked ham soup

This is a super-easy dish that’s rich, hearty and full-flavoured, but doesn’t require a whole lot of work. Just let the flavour of the hock come through and do the work for you. Begin this recipe a day ahead to soak the beans.

Serves 6

Prep

15M

Cook

45M

Total

Ingredients

2 tbsp mild-flavoured olive oil, plus extra to serve

1 onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 smoked ham hock (about 900gm)

200 gm dried white beans, soaked overnight in cold water, drained

150 gm farro (see note), rinsed

1.3 litres chicken stock

Finely grated parmesan and finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional), to serve

Method

1.Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and stir occasionally until soft and translucent, adding celery and garlic for the last 5 minutes of cooking (13-16 minutes). Add ham hock, beans, farro and chicken stock, bring to a simmer, then half-cover with a lid and simmer until hock, beans and farro are tender (2½-3 hours; top up with water as necessary to keep hock covered). Remove hock from soup and set aside. Season soup to taste and keep warm.

2.When cool enough to handle, shred meat off the bone (discard bone), and return to the soup.

3.Serve soup topped with parmesan, parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and a generous grind of black pepper.

Farro is available from select delicatessens.
Drink suggestion: Something rustic and cloudy brewed with grains other than barley, for example, farro. Drink suggestion by Max Allen.
Notes