When we lived in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Rogers, Arkansas, we would make monthly jaunts on steep, winding roads to a little place that made the best dang bean soup that side of the Mississippi...I'll do anything to work Mississippi into a sentence...it's not only fun to say it's fun to type...try it...MiSSiSSiPPi...anyway, I can't remember the name of the little stone cottage, right off the highway from the Bella Vista Retirement Home - where I've reserved a room for the mister - but I'll never forget those beans and how they tasted...dark brown sugar, thick molasses and chunks of ham that had a deep sienna-brown color thanks to the molasses. I pestered the people who ran the place every time I went there until little by little I was able to get enough of the ingredients out of them to try making the beans myself...and by golly...I think I succeeded!
THIS is what you do with left over holiday ham...or if you don't have left over ham, THIS is what you buy ham for. Forget what you know about "ham and beans" because this recipe isn't anything like the traditional dish you're probably used to...it's basically a Southern Elixir - a potion of molasses, sugar and mustard - yes mustard! that'll have you whistlin' Dixie and reaching for cornbread before you can say Jimmy crack corn and Ma don't care!
Ozark Mountain Ham and Beans - Me
1 1/2 lbs. ham, cubed (about 3 cups)
2 cans (14 oz.) vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 large onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
3 cans (15 oz.) beans (pinto, cannilinni, navy) rinsed and drained**
In a Dutch oven combine ham, vegetable broth, onion, salt, pepper, molasses, brown sugar and mustard. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans**, return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for additional 20 minutes. Serves 6.
**If you want the broth to be thicker, puree one or two cans of the beans and then add to the pot. I usually do this with at least one can of the beans but this time I left the broth as it was - it's dang good either way.)
"You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside." ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer
