I just want to say that this picture doesn't do this soup any justice. I crave it many times a year.

We’ve been on the run driving in the sun looking out for number 1, California here we come right back where we started from…

Yeah I did. I definitely did buy the first three complete seasons of The O.C.. Blockbuster was going out of business and I managed to pick up each season for something like $2.40 each. AMAZING… I would have been crazy not to!

Ahh how I miss uiversity. First year… all of 19 years of age. I thought I knew it all back then, only now to look back and realize I didn’t know crap!

I certainly didn’t know was Ribollita was. In fact I only learned about it this week.

Shanna came over for a girls night and to cook. We made soup and strawberry shortcake. It was a fantastic night and so is this soup. I really recommend you try it out.

Anna tells me that Ribollita means re-boil and like most soups it tastes better the second day. It’s amazing how the bread adds a creaminess without adding cream.

I ate mine tonight and it was pretty damn good so I am looking forward to this for dinner tomorrow night too.

Note – I couldn’t find a smoked ham hock so I used a smoked ham leg.

Ribollita

3 Tbsp olive oil

4 slices thick-sliced bacon, diced

1 small leek, white and light green part, thinly sliced

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 medium carrot, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups chicken stock

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 smoked ham hock * I used leg*

3 cups shredded Savoy cabbage

2 14-oz tins navy beans, drained and rinsed

salt and pepper

8 slices day-old white bread

Heat a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium heat and add olive oil and bacon. Cook bacon until crisp, remove from pan and drain all but 2 Tbsp fat. Add leek, onion, celery and carrot and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add stock, thyme and ham hock and bring to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Add cabbage and simmer 15 minutes more. Puree 1 tin of navy beans with 1 cup of soup liquid and add to soup. Add remaining tin of beans to soup. Remove ham hock to cool. Season to taste.

Slice bread into strips and lay in a deep baking or casserole dish. Shred meat fro ham hock and sprinkle over bread. Ladle soup over bread and let cool. Chill soup overnight.

To serve, preheat oven to 375F (190C). Cover soup dish and heat until bubbling at edges, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately