Ham Shank Broth and Cantabrian Soup

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Copyright Dorine Houston 2007 It has not been this cold for a year. Our local weather forecasters are saying that temperatures are well below freezing, in the 20s F, and that when the wind chill is factored in, it feels like 0 F/-16 C out there. This is the season for eating hearty soups made with seasonal vegetables. Some may think of Spain in terms of her sunny regions in the south, but in the northwest, on the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay, winters can be damp and cold. The people who live there, in the regions of Galicia and Asturias, have developed wonderful soups that warm the body beautifully and are richly nourishing. I have created this soup using the ideas of the hardy people of northern Spain, combining cruciferous greens, potatoes and legumes in ham shank broth. 2 smoked ham shanks 1 very large carrot, broken up 1 parsnip, broken up 2 medium onions 2 cloves garlic 6 whole black peppercorns 2 whole cloves 2 bay leaves, bruised 2ml/1/2 scant tsp. whole mustard seeds 5ml/1 tsp. whole rosemary leaves (do not use ground) 5ml/1 tsp. whole thyme (not ground) 8 litres/2 gallons water A few sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley A few sprigs fresh dill Combine ingredients in a stockpot and simmer 3-4 hours. Add water as needed, but allow broth to reduce to 4 litres/1 gallon. Add fresh herbs during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Do not add any salt yet. If you plan to cook legumes in the broth, any added salt will prevent their softening. Line a large, fine-meshed sieve with several layers of chesecloth previously rinsed with cold water and wrung out. Place over a large bowl or other recipient. Pour the broth through it. Remove the bones and any meat that has fallen off them and reserve. Press remaining solids firmly with the back of a wooden spoon then discard. Refrigerate broth so that the fat rises to the surface and hardens for easy removal. Chop the meat from the shanks and reserve; discard bone and gristle. ----- Cantabrian Soup 250ml/1 cup dry great northern beans or chickpeas or a combination, soaked overnight in cool water 4 red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, diced large 400g/14 oz. turnip greens, collards or kale, finely sliced Drain and rinse the beans/chickpeas. Cook about 2 hours in the broth, or until they can be mashed against the side of the pot with a spoon. After 1 1/2 hours, add the potatoes and greens; continue cooking until iingredients are tender. Remove from heat and taste for seasoning. You may need no added salt if the ham shanks were salty. Stir in 5ml/1 tsp. or so sweet smoked Spanish paprika for added flavor if you like. Do not use US supermarket paprika; it has no taste. Stir in the reserved chopped meat from the ham shanks. Warm your family with love and big bowls of this soup. Serve with crusty bread.