Ham Bone Soup in a Train Dining Car

Easter time often sees us preparing a full course holiday ham dinner for our family and friends. I love to share holidays it is a tradition with our family and ham is very versatile. After the dinner is over there are many dishes that can be made from the left over ham not to mention the sandwiches. If you cooked ham this Easter and now the ham is gone and all you have left is the bone this recipe is for you.

  A ham bone is a valuable piece of the ham. Some individuals do not know this and throw the ham bone away. DON"T DO THAT!!!! Ham bones can be used to make a nice ham stock or can be used in a number of tasty soups. It helps add flavors as it simmers away. On the last day of March a good and yummy pan of ham bone soup would taste amazing. 

Using onion, carrot and celery with some stock will make a good start at a delicious bowl of soup. Throw in a few herbs, fresh or preserved your choice and a few green veges and let it all simmer. In fact check out the following recipe: 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 carrot (chopped)
• 2 stalks celery (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 4 cups ham broth or chicken broth or chicken stock
• 1 cup lentils
• 2 cups ham (diced)
• 1 ham bone (optional)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• pepper to taste
• 1 bunch spinach (rinsed and trimmed)

1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan.
2. Add the onions, carrot and celery and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, a few minutes.
4. Add the stock, lentils, ham, ham bone, oregano, bay leaf and thyme and simmer, covered on low heat for an hour.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach.

Slow Cooker: Optionally implement steps 1-3, place everything except the spinach in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours or high for 2-4 hours before adding the spinach.

recipe source here

Once upon a time a recipe like this may have been served in the dining car on a train as you traveled to your destination. While many do not travel this way any longer it has always been an interest of mine