Shrimp, Ham, and Escarole Soup
- 2 medium ham hocks, about 2 pounds
- 1 pound medium shrimp
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, like soy, peanut, or corn
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 head garlic, halved, plus 6 cloves sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 wide strips lemon zest
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (like it hot? Keep the seeds)
- 6 canned whole plum tomatoes
- 12 ounces frozen black-eyed peas (about 2 heaping cups)
- 10 cups chopped escarole, 2 small or 1 large head
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
- Cover the ham hocks with cold water in a soup pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes.
- Drain the water, set the hocks aside.
- Meanwhile, peel the shrimp, reserve the shells.
- Devein the shrimp and refrigerate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a soup pot over medium heat; add the shrimp shells and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the shells turn pink, about 3 minutes.
- Add the ham hocks, halved garlic, thyme, lemon zest, and 3 quarts cold water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.
- Cook, uncovered, until the meat falls off the ham hock, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Strain the broth into a bowl (you should have about 6 cups broth), and save the ham hocks.
- When the ham hocks are cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bone; discard the rind, fat, and bone.
- (This can be done a day ahead.)
- In a large soup pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion, sliced garlic, and 1/2 of the jalapeno.
- Crush the tomatoes through your hands and add to the pot along with their juices and cook until onions soften and tomatoes dry, about 10 minutes.
- Add the broth, ham, black-eyed peas, and bring to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the peas soften, but hold their shape, about 20 minutes.
- Add the escarole, and the remaining jalapeno, and cook until the greens wilt, about 7 minutes.
- Stir in the shrimp and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and cook until the shrimp turn pink and curl, about 3 minutes.
- Divide the soup evenly into warmed bowls.
- Serve with a lemon wedge.
ham hocks, shrimp, vegetable oil, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, wide strips lemon zest, onion, pepper, tomatoes, blackeyed peas, head, kosher salt, lemon
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/shrimp-ham-and-escarole-soup-recipe.html (may not work)