This hearty bean soup is flavored with ham hocks and packed with vegetables and spices.

Bean and Bone Soup

1 ham hock
8 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups dry white beans, rinsed and sorted
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried marjoram
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1. Place ham hock* into a large saucepan; add cold water and heat to boiling, skimming the surface if necessary. Add beans, salt, bay leaf, white pepper, thyme and marjoram. Cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender.
2. Remove ham hock from pot and separate meat from bone. Return meat to pot along with onions, celery and carrot. Cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

*Ham hocks are the lower portion of a hog's hind leg. Cured or smoked ham hocks may be easier to find and will give the soup a smoky flavor.