CHEF JAMIE BARNES: RECIPES: HAM AND WHITE BEAN STEW
Name: Jamie Barnes
City: Charlotte, NC
Specialty: New Age American cuisine
Name of Company: What The Fries Food Truck and Catering
Soul Society 101: When did you know you had a talent for cooking?
Jamie: I first knew I had a talent for cooking back when I was a child and I would recreate dishes I saw on TV with basic household food items we had.
Soul Society 101: What does cooking do for you mentally?
Jamie: Cooking, mentally takes me out of all the worries in life and for a short while I feel very free. It’s a comfort that is unexplainable.
Soul Society 101: What kind of food truck are you looking to create?
Jamie: I am looking to create a French fry themed truck. It will feature very creative French fries such as purple potato fries, taro fries and assorted toppings as well. Also very creative sandwiches, burgers and shakes.
Soul Society 101: How can fans of your cooking help you make that dream of your food truck a reality?
Jamie: I appreciate all the well wishes and encouragement from people. That keeps me going. And I also have a crowd-funding page to help with expenses as well. Check it out ----> http://www.gofundme.com/h80t54
Soul Society 101: What are your favorite meals to cook for your family?
Jamie: I enjoy to cook seafood for my family. I love searing fish and also baked pastas.


Recipe: Ham and White Bean Stew
INGREDIENTS

1 lb of white beans—Cannellini or Great Northern
2 quarts of water
3-4 lbs of Smithfield bone in Ham
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 TBSP sugar
1 cup of diced onions (about 1 small onion)
1 cup chopped celery (about 2-3 ribs)
2 cups chopped collard greens
2/3 cup chopped carrots (about 1 medium carrot)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Fresh parsley
METHOD
1 Soak the dry beans in hot water. Fill a pot large enough to hold the beans with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the beans and soak the beans for about 2 hours. Drain the water.
2 Make the ham broth. While the beans are soaking in step 1, put the ham in a separate large pot and cover it with 2 quarts of water. Add the herbs de Provence and sugar. Heat on high heat until the water comes to a simmer, then lower the heat, partially cover and maintain the simmer for about an hour.
3. Sauté the onions. Heat olive oil in a small sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more.
4. Add vegetables and beans to the ham broth. Once the ham has been simmering for an hour, add the drained soaked beans from step 1, the onions, garlic, and the chopped celery, collard greens and carrots. Cook for another 40 minutes or so, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft and the ham meat easily pulls away from the bone. Remove the ham bones from the soup and pull off any meat and return it to the soup. Discard the bones.
5. Season to taste with Flavor God brand. Everything seasoning or your seasoning of choice.
Connect with Chef Jamie Barnes: Instagram
Interview by Banford Jones