What could be better for cold winter nights than some delicious Minestrone? Here’s Chef’s special recipe…

Minestrone

4ea                Smoked Ham Hocks

1gal.              Water

1lbs.               Bacon

4oz.                Olive Oil

2lbs.               Onions, diced

2lbs.               Celery, diced

2lbs.               Carrots, diced

2lbs.               Leeks, diced

2lbs.               Cabbage, shredded

2lbs.               Zucchini, diced

2lbs.               Yellow Squash, diced

1 gallon          Crushed Tomatoes

2 gallon          Chicken Stock

1 pound           Dried Red Beans

½ cup              Basil, chopped

½ cup              Parsley, chopped

Add the ham hocks and water to a stock pot and simmer for 4 hours. Remove the hocks to cool. Strain the pork stock and reserve. Remove the meat from the hocks. Grind the bacon and the ham hock meat in a meat grinder, and reserve.  Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the bacon, ham hocks, and onions. In a large stock pot, place the chicken and pork stock, and the seared onions. Add the remaining ingredients into the pot and let simmer for about an hour. Once done add basil and parsley for fragrance.

Now, click to hear Chef Troy walk you through it A.M. BATON ROUGE with Kevin & Bill…