Lindsay’s Hot Ham Water with Tortellini, Chickpeas, and Kale

Lindsay's Hot Ham Water with Tortellini, Chickpeas, and Kale

This soup I served at my Arrested Development party is definitely not watery and has more than a smack of ham to it. Maybe that’s not authentic, but it’s hearty and flavorful, and enough to keep you going on a long day of earning money for H.O.O.P. or posing for the Ladies of Literacy calendar.

I don’t know how  I kept accidentally making healthy-ish food for this party. Serve with Bluth Cornballs with Buttermilk and Fresh Corn.

Lindsay's Hot Ham Water with Tortellini, Chickpeas, and Kale

More from the Arrested Development party menu. 

Lindsay’s Hot Ham Water with Tortellini, Chickpeas, and Kale

  • 2-3 quarts ham broth (below), chicken broth, or a combination (my ham broth came out strong so I used a combination)
  • 2 -3 cups coarsely chopped ham
  • 1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained
  • 3 cups chopped kale
  • 1 pound fresh cheese tortellini
  • parmesan cheese for garnish

Combine broth, ham, and chickpeas in a large pot. Bring to a simmer. Add kale and tortellini* and simmer until kale is wilted and tortellini is just cooked, about 6 minutes. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

*If not serving immediately, cook tortellini in a separate pot. Quickly cool under cold water to stop cooking process. Toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. When ready to serve, heat soup and add in tortellini to just heat through.

Ham Broth

  • ham bone with a little meat on it
  • you can also add: other ham scraps, vegetable scraps such as carrot pieces, onion pieces, celery pieces, peppercorns

Place ham bone (and other scraps if using) in a very large pot. Fill the pot with enough water to more than cover.

Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for about 3 hours. Add a little water once or twice an hour to maintain level.

Remove from heat and remove bones and any vegetables. Strain to remove any remaining pieces and discard. Taste the broth- if watery or not flavorful enough, return to a boil and allow some of the water to evaporate until a good flavor is achieved. If too strong, add a little water.

Cool broth to room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for a few hours, until fat has solidified on top. Remove solidified fat before using.

 

More Arrested Development party ideas 

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