Chickpea Ham Hock Stew Recipe 25

Steps:

• In a slow cooker, combine the water, ham hocks, chickpeas, carrots, bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, cover and cook on low for 1 hour and 45 minutes, until the chickpeas, ham hocks and potatoes are tender. Transfer the ham hocks to a large plate. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. When the hocks are cool enough to handle, remove the meat and coarsely chop it. Return the ham to the soup. Using a paring knife, cut the carrots in the cooker into bite-size pieces. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and mash to a puree. Stir the mashed potatoes into the soup along with the parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute onion in oil for 3 minutes. Add the ham, garlic, rosemary and sage; saute 1 minute longer. Stir in broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. , Drain orzo; stir into soup. Add chickpeas; heat through. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and parsley.

Steps:

• Place the garbanzo beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight.
• The next day, rinse the soaked beans and place them into a slow cooker; place the ham bone in the cooker, and pour in enough water to cover the beans and ham bone by several inches. Set the cooker to Low, and cook for 8 hours.
• Skim any foam from the top of the soup, and remove the ham bone. Strip as much meat as possible from the ham bone, and return the meat to the slow cooker; discard the bone. Stir in potatoes, carrots, frozen corn, and black pepper to taste. Set the cooker on Low, and cook for 1 hour; then turn the heat up to High and cook 1 more hour (10 hours total cooking time).