Unlikely Treasure: Ham and Turkey Bones

My ham and turkey carcasses, frozen reverently after Thanksgiving and Christmas, are two of the most valued possessions in my home. In fact, once a friend arrived early for a party and volunteered to take over the carving of the ham from the assigned person, who was delighted to escape the task.

At the end of the carving, the self-appointed volunteer turned and said to my previous appointee, “Nathalie doesn’t want this bone, does she?” When there was no knowledgeable reply from the slackard, who had no notion of what I wanted, the volunteer proceeded to wrap the bone and refrigerate it until he left, when the bone left with him.

I didn’t discover the loss for a couple of days and had to do a mighty amount of detective work--including the dreaded task of cleaning out refrigerator and freezer--before I realized the devastating loss. I called my friend, annoyance ringing through every word I spoke, and asked for my ham bone back. I was truly affronted, feeling violated and robbed of a precious possession. In fact, I wondered if the whole ham had mattered anywhere near as much as the bone and its promise of soup!

Alas, it had already been popped into a pot for their ham bone and bean soup, and was never recovered. It was only through prayer without ceasing that I was able to forgive my friends . . . if, indeed, I have.

Any broth can be made ahead and frozen, ready to use as a base for soup or sauce, but on the magic Ham Bone and Bean Soup day, I particularly like the moisture and aroma produced by the making of the broth.

It’s not necessary to have both turkey and ham bones for this soup, but if you have them both, you won’t regret their use in the broth. Chop the bones roughly with a bone cleaver, as a chopped bone adds more flavor and body to the soup. (I also freeze the rind of imported Parmesan cheese and add it to the soup with the beans. The rind softens and adds flavor and creaminess.) Often dried beans have packets of artificial flavoring added. Use them if you want.

This is not a rigid recipe; if you have other leftovers you want to add, do so.

HAM BONE AND BEAN SOUP

10 ounces 15-bean soup beans or other mixed beans

1 pound cooked ham, with 1 1/2 cups ham scraps or fat

1 ham bone, chopped, optional

1 turkey carcass, optional

1 stalk celery, sliced

1/2 carrot, peeled and sliced

1/2 bay leaf, crumbled

2 1/2 to 3 quarts water

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Hot pepper sauce, optional

Finely chopped fresh herbs, optional

Cover beans with water and soak overnight. Or place beans in pan, cover and bring to boil. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain.

Combine 1 cup ham scraps, ham bone, turkey carcass, celery, carrot, bay leaf and water in large pot. Bring to boil, reducing heat and simmering 2 hours. Degrease and strain. (Soup may be prepared ahead to this point and frozen.)

Add beans, onion and garlic to broth. Bring back to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until done, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add remaining ham 30 minutes before serving. Return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Add herbs. (Soup may be made 1 to 2 days ahead. It can also be frozen in airtight containers.) Makes 10 servings.