Ham Hocks and White Beans

Ham Hocks:
1 medium onion
3 whole cloves
10 cup water
1 tsp. black peppercorns
3lbs. smoked ham hocks
4 bay leaves
3 cups coarsely chopped leek greens
3 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 thyme sprig

Beans:
1½ cups dried Great Northern or other small white beans
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed

½ tsp. dried marjoram
6 sun-dried tomato halves, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped leek bottoms
1½ cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. salt

Garnish:
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp. finely chopped green onions

To prepare ham hocks, stud onion with cloves. Place onion, water, and next 8
ingredients in a stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 hours.
Remove hocks from stock. Strain stock through a sieve into a large bowl;
discard solids. Cool stock to room temperature. Cover and chill hocks and
stock separately 8 hours or overnight. Remove meat from bones; finely chop.
Discard bones, skin, and fat. Skim solidified fat from surface of
stock; discard fat. Reserve 4 cups stock.

To prepare beans, sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with
water to 2 inches above beans. Cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain.

Combine beans and reserved stock in a Dutch oven. Add chopped thyme, fennel
seeds, marjoram, and tomato; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour
and 15 minutes or until beans are tender.

While beans simmer, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek
bottoms, chopped onion, 1 cup carrot, 1/2 cup celery, and 2 garlic cloves;
cover. Cook 10 minutes; stir occasionally. Add vegetable mixture, ham,
ground pepper, and salt to bean mixture.

To prepare garnish, combine parsley, basil, and green onions; sprinkle over
bean mixture.

6 servings