Tuscan style hearty vegetable soup with bacon hock
This robust vegetable and bacon hock soup is a nutritious dish, enriched with seasonal vegetables and Mediterranean flavours. Cook in a large slow cooker as this is a handy freezable winter staple.1 packet King Soup Hearty Vegetable
1 Farmland Bacon Hock
1 large onion, diced
1 stick celery, sliced
1 large carrot, diced
2 small courgettes, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
3-4 fresh sage leaves or 1/4 tsp dried
1-2 bay leaves
2 tins (400g) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 punnet (125g) mini tomatoes (baby Roma)
100g Tuscan kale leaves, torn (or spinach)
2 tbsp DYC white wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese, grated
pesto (optional)
Crusty sourdough bread
1
Pour 8 cups of boiling water into the large slow cooker bowl. Stir in the soup mix. Add the bacon hock, onion, celery, carrot, courgette and herbs. Cover and cook on High for 3 1/2 hours or Low for 5 hours.
2
Remove bacon hock from the soup and shred the meat. Add the shredded meat, cannellini beans, baby tomatoes, kale to the slow cooker and continue to cook for another 30- 45 minutes.
3
Add the DYC vinegar, taste the soup, then season with salt and pepper. Note you may not need to add in salt, as it depends on the saltiness of the bacon hock.
4
Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, grated Parmesan, and a drop of pesto (optional) accompanied by crusty sourdough bread.
