Ham and bean soup

A hearty, flavorful soup great to use up leftover ham.

1 lb. dry soup beans (or 2.5lbs canned)
3 Tbsps. oil (leftover fat from the skimming when boiling a ham is choice)
1 onion (6oz/170g) chopped
4 carrots (12oz) chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6-8 cups chicken stock
OPTIONAL: ham bone
(14oz/398mL) diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp dry thyme 

a generous pinch of hot pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste
2 cups (5oz/150g) shredded cabbage or kale
2 to 3 cups (350-400gr) diced cooked ham
1 tsp salt, to taste

1. Soak beans overnight then rinse.
2. In a large soup pot sauté the onion and carrots in the oil for 4-5 minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and sauté one more minute.
3. Add the beans, the chicken stock, the ham bone, the tomatoes, bay leaf, herbs and pepper. NOTE: if using kale, add at this point.
4. Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer, covered lightly, for 90 minutes or until the beans are soft.
5. Add the ham and cabbage (if using) and cook for 15-20 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning. Discard the bay leaf and serve.

Barley and Ham Pottage

One of the pleasures of cooking a great big ham is all the leftovers to use up. This dish is a warm hug with all its unctuous barley-ness and bites of ham. The Parmesan cheese, whether you cook in the rind or add the grated cheese or both, is the ideal finisher.

¼ cup dried small beans

3 Tbsps lard OR 2 slices bacon en lardons + 1 tsp olive oil

1 large onion, sliced thin (10oz)

1 carrot, diced (2oz)

1 med potato, diced (215gr)

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup pearl barley

4 cups chicken stock

2 sprigs thyme

4 leaves kale, ribs finely sliced and leaves cut into thin strips

OR

8 oz fine sliced cabbage

1 large tomato (7oz), diced

5oz  ham, diced

1½ tsps salt

½ tsp pepper

2 oz Parmesan cheese OR 1 small parmesan rind

1. If using the optional beans, soak overnight and cook the next day until tender. Set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot, heat the lard over medium high heat (OR heat oil and add bacon; cook for 7 to 8 minutes until the bacon is nice and crispy).
3. Add the onion, carrots and potato and cook until onion is well soft and starting to brown.
4. Add the garlic and cook one minute.
5. Add the stock, thyme, and barley and bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Throw in the kale or cabbage, tomato, ham, beans (if using) and if using, the Parmesan rind. Bring back to a boil, and reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until veg are tender (about 20 minutes).
7. Taste to make sure the veg is cooked to your liking (remove the cheese rind if that's appropriate) and, if using, stir in the cheese and remove from heat to serve.

Croque Monsieur sandwich

BÉCHAMEL

2 Tbsps (1oz/28gr) butter

3 Tbsps flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

ASSEMBLY

8 thin slices of bread (Commons or Sourdough Boule)

8 thin slices of cooked ham (about 6oz)

2+2 oz Gruyère, grated

¼ cup Parmesan, grated

1 tsp herbes de Provence

1. Make the béchamel sauce first by melting the butter, and then whisking in the flour, whisking continuously until the mixture starts to turn golden. Note, this usually makes almost exactly twice as much as I need, but I refrigerate the rest to make more sandwiches, later.
2. Stream in the cream, whisking constantly. Add the dijon, salt and pepper.
3. Whisk until the sauce starts to thicken; it will become quite thick.
4. Meanwhile, with the oven rack at the highest level, pre-heat the oven to 450°F. While the oven is heating up, place the bread on a baking sheet and toast it in the increasing heat, flipping the pieces to lightly toast both sides.
5. To assemble, divide all the ingredients into 4 portions of each item.
6. Spread the béchamel evenly on the bottom piece of toast, going from edge-to-edge and put on the baking sheet.
7. On top of the béchamel place the ham, top with half the grated Gruyère, then place the other piece of toast on top, pressing down firmly. 
8. Mix together the second half of the Gruyère with the Parmesan and herbes de Provence. Top the closed sandwiches with this mixture as the final flourish.
9. Bake in the oven for about 6 to 12 minutes or until the cheese inside is melted; the position of the rack should provide sufficient radiant heat to melt the cheese on top as well. If not, your oven is different than mine, so keep the rack in the middle position and after the 6 minutes, broil the top to melt the cheese. Depending on your oven, 6 minutes may not be enough; the metric you can use is whether or not the cheese on top has started to melt.

Welsh Rabbit (Rarebit)

Also known as Welsh Rarebit. It's a lovely, cheesy, bready meal made with beer. Homer Simpson, eat your heart out!

⅔ cup milk

1½ Tbsp flour

14 oz sharp cheddar

1 tsp English mustard powder

4 oz beer (I haven't explored the difference between using Stout or Ale)

2 egg yolks

a pinch of cayenne

Black pepper, to taste (¼ tsp)
Crusty country-style bread (my fave)

OPTIONAL - 1 thick slice of ham per slice of bread.

1. Start toasting, until golden brown, some thick homemade bread (I used slices of Bread).
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the milk until just below boiling and whisk in the flour to make a roux. Whisk until it just starts to brown.
3. Whisk and add the beer slowly. It will bubble up, which actually helps break up the roux. Cook another 3 minutes, whisking, until thick and smooth.
4. Add the cheese, the egg yolk, the mustard and the cayenne. Cook until the cheese melts and everything is well combined, then season with black pepper and set aside to rest a couple of minutes.
5. Turn on the broiler. Arrange the bread onto a cookie sheet. Spread the cheese sauce until it spills over the edges of the toasted bread; this prevents the edges of bread from burning under the broiler, then put in the oven to grill for 20 to 30 seconds or until it's bubbly and starting to brown.