Prosciutto Soup Recipes

PROSCIUTTO AND EGG SOUP

Steps:

• Combine the farro and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer and cook until the farro is tender but chewy, 10 to 20 minutes, or according to the manufacturer's instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove half the prosciutto with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Drizzle in the remaining tablespoon olive oil, and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the escarole and another 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir for 1 minute to wilt. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until the escarole is completely softened. Stir in the cooked farro. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste.
• Fill a high-sided skillet with 1 1/2 inches of water. Add the vinegar and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a very gentle simmer. Break the eggs, spaced apart, into the water. Cover and turn off the heat. After 3 minutes the whites should be set and the yolks still soft. Remove the poached eggs with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
• Ladle soup into 4 bowls. Top each bowl with a poached egg, a generous sprinkling of Parmesan, the reserved crisped prosciutto and some pepper.

PROSCIUTTO BROTH WITH FARRO AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the prosciutto, Parmesan rind, thyme, carrots, celery, garlic, shallots and 7 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 45 minutes, skimming any foam comes to the surface. Strain the broth and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add the farro and water to cover by 1 inch. Add the salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer until the farro is tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Drain off any excess water and set aside.
• In a separate Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 10 minutes. Deglaze with the Marsala. Add the cooked farro and the prosciutto broth, and bring to a simmer. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the soup in bowls. Top with Parmesan crisps if using.

INSTANT POT® WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Combine chicken broth, beans, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and olive oil in a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®). Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 25 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Stir in carrots, celery, and prosciutto. If you prefer more liquid, add additional broth at this point.
• Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 10 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve in individual soup bowls and garnish with parsley.

GARLIC SOUP WITH CRISPY PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, trim the top off of each head of garlic, keeping the bulb intact. Place each bulb in a square of Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil. Drizzle each bulb with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and about 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves. Wrap foil around bulbs and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until garlic is very tender. Open foil carefully by cutting along top with a sharp knife, allowing steam to escape; then open top.
• In a large pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chopped shallots and saute on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, remaining thyme and bay leaf. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves into the pot. Saute for 3 minutes over medium heat. Stir in broth and 1 cup cream. Bring to boil and then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes to cool. Remove thyme and bay leaf.
• For the prosciutto, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place slices flat on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until crispy. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Break the prosciutto into small pieces and set aside. In a blender, puree soup in batches until smooth; return to pot. Stir in remaining cup of cream and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with crispy prosciutto, lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Finish with a few leaves of parsley.

PROSCIUTTO AND MELON SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the prosciutto slices on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake until firm, golden around the edges, and almost crisp, about 18 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
• Place half the melon in the blender with half the tomatoes. Pulse the blender until the mixture is pureed. Pour the soup in a large bowl. Puree the remaining melon and tomatoes and add to the bowl. Add the salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Crumble the cooled prosciutto crisps over the top of the soup. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

PROSCIUTTO SOUP

Steps:

• Set 6 cups of water to boil to save time later. Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the bottom of a medium saucepan, and turn the heat to medium. Chop the prosciutto (remove the fat if you must, but remember that it has flavor) into 1/4-inch or smaller cubes, and add to the oil. Brown, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, while you prepare the garlic, onion and greens.
• Peel the garlic, and chop it roughly or leave it whole. Peel and chop onion. Wash and chop greens into bite-size pieces.
• When the prosciutto is browned, add the garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to color, about 2 minutes. Add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become translucent, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the greens, and stir; then, add the 6 cups of boiling water. Stir in the pasta and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper; adjust heat so the mixture simmers.
• When the pasta is done, taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and serve.

PROSCIUTTO SOUP

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a pot or kettle. Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the bottom of a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Chop the prosciutto (remove the fat if you must, but remember that it has flavor) into 1/4-inch or smaller cubes and add to the oil. Brown, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, while you prepare the garlic, onion, and greens.
• Peel the garlic and chop it roughly or leave it whole. Peel and chop the onion. Wash and chop the greens into bite-sized pieces.
• When the prosciutto has browned, add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to color, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes translucent, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the greens and stir, then add the boiling water. (You can prepare the dish in advance up to this point. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, then reheat before proceeding.) Stir in the pasta and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper; adjust the heat so the mixture simmers.
• When the pasta is done, taste and adjust the seasoning. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve.
• Variations
• The basic recipe, though delicious, is on the meager side, the kind of soup people make when times are hard or no one's been shopping lately: a small piece of meat, some common vegetables, a little pasta. But you can make it as elaborate as you like and even convert it to a stew by doubling the amount of meat, vegetables, and pasta. The chopping time will be extended slightly, but the cooking time will remain more or less the same.
• Add more root vegetables, like thinly sliced carrots or chopped celery, or diced potatoes or turnips.
• Vary the greens: Shredded cabbage is perfect for this soup and will cook as quickly as kale. Collard, mustard, and turnip greens are also appropriate. Some peas and/or corn will work nicely, too, even if they come from the freezer.
• Use any starch you like in place of the pasta: Rice and barley, each of which take a few minutes longer than pasta, are good choices.
• Add tomatoes, either fresh, canned, or paste, for color and flavor. To use tomato paste, just stir a couple of tablespoons into the sautéing vegetables before adding the water. Tomatoes should be added with the onions so they have time to break up.
• Leftovers are great, like a bit of chopped chicken or some vegetables from a previous meal (rinse them with boiling water if they were sauced).
• Consider the chopped-up rind of hard cheese, like Parmesan, which will not only soften enough to become edible during cooking but will add great flavor to the soup.

PEA & MINT SOUP WITH CRISPY PROSCIUTTO STRIPS

Steps:

• Put the leeks, potato and stock in a pan and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 8 mins.
• Tip in the peas, cover and cook for 5 mins more. Take off the heat and blitz with a hand blender (or in a food processor) until smooth, then stir in the yogurt and mint.
• Meanwhile, lay the slices of prosciutto in a large non-stick frying pan in a single layer and heat until crisp. Allow to cool a little, then tear into strips, ready to sprinkle over the soup with some ground black pepper. Will keep in the fridge for 2 days.