Zuppa di Fagioli with Rosemary Oil

Pork and beans! Its the best combination. This soup is best in winter--it really warms you up! I was in Marin last weekend and stopped by a farmer's market where I picked up some very tasty ham hocks.

The weather here in Oakland is all crazy. I made this one night and it was just perfect!

The key to this recipe was the rosemary oil and fresh fennel! Delicious!

I got this recipe from David Tanis's A Platter of Figs.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large onions, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 bay leaves
4 cups dried white beans, picked over and rinsed
2 lbs smoked ham hocks
12 cups water
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ground fine in a mortar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper
Fresh rosemary (optional)
1 teaspoon Rosemary Oil
Rustic Bread (Toasted)


Directions

To speed up the process, I shave all the meat off the ham hocks first.

Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.

Add diced onions, and cook gently for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and bay leaves and cook for a minute more.









Add the white beans and the ham hocks (meat and bone). Cover with water and bring to a boil. Gently simmer for a hour, stirring occasionally. Skim off any surface foam as it appears.


































Add the ground fennel, red pepper flakes and a good spoonful of salt. I like to add some fresh rosemary and oregano at this point, although that wasn't in David Tanis's recipe.












Cook 1 hour more, or until the beans are tender but not mushy and the pork falls off the bone. Remove the bone.

Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle with a little bit of rosemary oil and serve with rustic bread.

Delicious!