Step 1

Overnight soak: Add the dried beans to a large bowl and add enough water to cover the beans by 3 inches. Let the beans soak in the liquid (at room temperature) for 12-24 hours. Drain and rinse in a colander inside the sink before using.

Step 2

Quick soak: Dump the beans into a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by at least 3 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove the pot from heat. Cover the pan and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Drain and rinse in a colander inside the sink before using.

Step 3

Chop the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into small pieces. Add the oil and butter to a large saucepan and set it over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft, about 3 minutes.

Step 4

Add the cayenne pepper, thyme, bay leaves, 1 teaspoons of ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the vegetables. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer.

Step 5

Add the chicken broth, the chunks of cooked ham, the ham hocks or ham shanks, and the navy beans. Turn the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the beans are soft and tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Step 6

Remove the ham hock and the chunks of ham, setting them on a plate or in a bowl. Let them rest until they are cool enough to handle.

Step 7

In the meantime, ladle 2 cups of the soup (be sure to include both beans and broth) into a blender. Add 2 ounces of parmesan cheese and blend until completely smooth. Stir the puree back into the soup.

Step 8

Rinse out the blender and add the parsley and 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Blend until the parsley is very finely chopped. Use a spatula to scrape the parsley oil out into a small bowl.

Step 9

Use your fingers to shred the ham into bite-size pieces and add them back to the soup. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired (how much salt you need will depend on how salty your chicken broth is).

Step 10

Serve bowls of soup drizzled with parsley oil and sprinkled with additional parmesan.