Nordic potato soup with ham

This soup is fantastic to come home to when you've been outside in the cold all day. This goes great with some crusty rye bread and a marinated cucumber salad....YUM!

• Ready In: 23 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3  medium  thin-skinned potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 1/2 lbs. total)
• 1  large onion, finely chopped
• 1  smoked ham hock (about 1 lb.)
• 1  tablespoon dry dill weed
• 2  teaspoons  grated lemons, rind of
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 1⁄2 cups chicken broth
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream
•  dill sprigs (but good) (optional)

Directions

1. In a 3-qt.
2. or larger electric slow cooker, combine potatoes, onion, ham hock, dill weed, lemon peel, white pepper, and broth.
3. Cover and cook at low setting until ham hock and potatoes are very tender when pierced (7 1/2 to 8 hours).
4. Lift out ham hock and let stand until cool enough to handle.
5. Meanwhile, remove about 1 cup of the potatoes with a little of the broth; whirl in a blender or food processor until pureed and then return the puree to the crock-pot.
6. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and cream; blend into potato mixture.
7. Increase cooker heat setting to high.
8. Remove and discard fat and bone from ham; tear meat into bite-size pieces and stir into soup.
9. Cover and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, for 20 more minutes.
10. Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.