Bean & Ham Soup

After supper, place the bone(s) and any meat you plan to use for the soup in a pot with about 8 cups of water. Add any drippings from the roasting pan, then deglaze roasting pan with some hot water and add to soup pot. (This adds extra flavour-flavour to the pot.) Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2-hours. Allow pot to cool well and place in refrigerator overnight. When ready to complete the soup - remove bone(s) and meat from pot, place in a bowl (any liquid that collects goes back in the pot). Skim congealed fat and discard. Place pot over low heat, covered. 3-1/2 cups dried navy (or similar) beans 8 cups water salt (if desired) 1 medium to large onion, chopped fine 1 medium to large carrot, chopped fine 1 good rib celery, chopped fine meat from bones, chopped 14 oz can tomatoes 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper (fresh ground if you have) pinch of cloves (optional) 1 Tbsp flour 1 Tbsp softened butter or margarine (oleo) In a separate pot, place beans and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare onions, carrots, celery and meat. Drain and rinse beans in a colander. Add beans, onion, celery, carrots tomatoes, salt and pepper to warming stock. Top-up liquid with water if required. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Make a paste of the flour and butter. Add to pot in little portions and stir down. Simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring often, as the soup thickens. Notes: I prefer this method (boil bones the night before) for two reasons. First, I'm not trying to remove meat from hot bones, and secondly, it is much easier to remove excess fat that is congealed. You get a much higher percentage than by floating chilled lettuce leaves, or using ice cubes in cheesecloth. The pinch of cloves adds a nice flavour, but - since I usually prepare my ham studded with cloves and then glazed with maple syrup (for the last hour) and adding the drippings - I have plenty of flavour in the stock right off the bat. I have used both Navy and Great Northern Beans - and now use a combination thereof, giving a sensory variety.