Ham meal no 4 - Ham and bean soup with Asian flavours

The stock that was left from the simmering of the ham was salty, savory and had an unusual but pleasant tang which I'm assuming came from the bay leaves. There was also a little sweetness from the leek. In total it made an interesting base for a soup, but I felt it needed a little help to really be good. I added a little chicken stock to oomph up the flavour, a little rice wine vinegar because it seemed like a good idea at the time and to lessen the saltiness and a pack of Japanese Wakamame soup to round out the flavours with some seaweed. It worked well together even though it sounds like an absolute mess. It had a nice tangy edge that was addictive and some saltiness that made me keep going back for more.

Recipe

3 cups of leftover ham stock from the cooking of the ham

1/4 chicken stock cube

1.5 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 packet Japanese Wakamame soup or miso

1/2 bell pepper, seeded and sliced finely

a handful of greens, shredded

1/2 a tin of mixed beans such as chick peas, red kidney beans and lentils, rinsed well

1/4 cup leftover ham, sliced finely

Pour the ham cooking liquor through a sieve into a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Add all other ingredients and let simmer at a softly rolling boil for about 10 minutes to cook the peppers and greens. Serve with some crackers or bread. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one healthy soup.