veehive

As I write this, Seattle is preparing for snowmageddon 2012. Or snowpocalypse, depending on what local television station you watch. Whatever you call it, we’re due to get hit with a lot of snow thru Wednesday. Quick! Run {if you still can get out of your driveway} to you nearest store and pick up the ingredients for this soup. Throw in some salad stuff and a great thick, chewy loaf of bread and you’ll be happily sated for the next few days. Yes, you will want to eat this for multiple meals. It’s that good. I can’t remember if it was my grandmother or mom that first made this soup but all I know is I always loved it. And it’s a soup that I’ve been making for what seems like forever. Just ten ingredients {okay, eleven if you count the water} and super easy, it is a favorite in our house. And it freezes and reheats great when stored in a good, air-tight container. Just leave out the cream until you reheat the soup and it will keep in the freezer for up to three months. What will you be eating while we’re snowed in?  {oh, p.s. – sorry for the fuzzy pic…still getting use to my new fixed lens.}

Smoked Ham and White Bean Soup
serves 8 – 10

3lbs. smoked ham hocks {about 6-8 pieces]
1 bay leaf
4 – 15 ox. canned cannellini beans, drained + rinsed
1 small onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled + diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 large potatoes, diced into ½” cubes
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large soup pot, add the ham hocks making one layer if possible. Cover with enough water so that there is at least 1″ above the meat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a rolling simmer. Add bay leaf, cover and cook for 1 to 1 ½ – until ham hocks are tender. Turn heat off and remove ham hocks to a cutting board and let cool. When they are cool enough to handle, pull meat from the skin and bones and shred. Before adding the meat back to the pot, remove bag leave and using a large spoon, skim any fat off the top of the stock and discard. 

Return stock to high heat; add ham hock meat,  beans, onion, carrots, celery, potato and thyme. Add pepper to taste. There is enough salt from the smoked hocks you shouldn’t need any extra salt. Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add cream. Stir well to incorporate then serve. 

What would do if you won the lottery? For years I mused that I would buy a small tropical island and a small plane so friends could come visit any time and when I’d decided they no longer amused me could send them home. You know. Something similar to my own private Survivor. Hmm…it sounds less comical in writing. What I’d really do is hire a personal chef so I could have things like this made for me three times a week.  What a great indulgence that would be! Oh well, looks like I’m going to have to keep on cooking. This smoked salmon breakfast burrito is something I’ve been making for over ten years and is based on a recipe I saw in Martha Stewart Living. Since I’ve not bought a lottery ticket in years and thus obviously not won the lottery, I’ve adapted the original recipe to be able to make this quickly during the week and still retain all the great flavors. These are so filling that half a burrito is usually plenty for one person. But I tend to have these after a hard workout or long run so I can devour a whole one by myself. I love serving these for guests at brunch. They are easy to assemble with the shortcuts below and are so yummy and pretty. I’ve never had a disappointed guest. I will guarantee you will love these! 

Smoked Salmon Breakfast Burrito
serves 8 {or 4 very hungry adults}

1 small yellow onion, sliced into ¼” thick rings
4 roma tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
4 – 12″ spinach tortillas
8 large eggs
1 store bought bag of mixed spring greens salad
3 tbsp. store bought balsamic dressing
8 tbsp. store bought herbed cream cheese {1 – 8 oz. tub}
8 slices lox style smoked salmon {about 8 – 10 oz.}
1 small avocado, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups alfalfa sprouts
4 tbsp. store bought tomatillo salsa
4 tbsp. store bought pico de gallo

Preheat oven to 375º. In a small bowl, gently toss the onion rings and tomato quarters in the olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.  Spread tomatoes and onions out on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes then remove from oven and set aside.

While the tomatoes and onions are roasting, heat the tortillas: Brush each side with the remaining olive oil and heat  one tortilla at a time over medium heat in a large saute pan, warming for 1 minute on each side. Wrap in a clean kitchen tea towel to keep warm. {You can also rewarm in the microwave by placing the tortillas on top of a damp paper towel on a plate and the stack covered with another damp paper towel. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and set aside.}

In a small bowl, scramble the eggs together. Salt and pepper to taste. Using the same saute pan, {add more oil if needed by I usually find no extra is necessary} cook the eggs over medium heat pushing the set parts to the center of the pan after a minute and rolling the uncooked eggs out to the edges of the pan. This will help keep the eggs moist. Continue this method until the eggs reach the level of doneness you prefer. Remove from heat. 

In a medium bowl, toss the lettuce greens and balsamic dressing. Working with one open tortilla at a time on a cutting board, assemble the burritos.  Using a spatula, add 2 tbsp. of the herbed cream cheese to the center area of the tortilla. Add 2 slices of smoked salmon, ¼ of the scrambled eggs, ¼ of the avocado slices, ¼ of the tossed lettuce greens, ¼ of the alfalfa sprouts, 4 roasted tomato quarters and ¼ of the onions. Add 1 tbsp. of tomatillo salsa and fold the ends of the tortilla over the filling. Slice the burrito diagonally in half. Top with some alfalfa sprouts {if desired} and 1 tbsp. of pico de gallo.