Chickpea, Ham and Swiss Chard Soup

A satisfying good-for-you soup that warms the tummy on a cold winter day.  Serve with a crusty bread drizzled with olive oil. 

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 large carrot, diced

1 (6-ounce) piece smoked ham steak, diced into 1/4-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 small bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced into thin ribbons

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

2 (16-ounce) can chickpeas or (black-eyed peas), drained & rinsed-mash some if desired

1 (15-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

1 lb mushrooms, cut in large chunks (optional, this is my addition to the recipe)

Grated Parmesan, for garnish

Add the bacon to a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Fry until crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve. To the same Dutch oven, add the onion, garlic, and carrot, and sauté until the vegetables are tender, roughly 4 minutes. Add the ham steak and red pepper flakes and adjust the seasonings with salt and black pepper, to taste. Add the Swiss chard and sauté until it begins to soften.

Stir in the chicken broth, chickpeas or black-eyed peas, and the canned tomatoes with their juices. Cover pot and bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes; adding the mushrooms the last 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese and bacon.

Source:  Modified from Pat and Gina Neely - TV Food Network

Eileen