Dolly Parton said her mama, Avie Lee, was always tuned into the individual needs of her twelve children. She used this soup as a way to both involve her kids in the cooking process and give some special attention to a child that needed a little extra love. While the soup was being prepared, Avie Lee sent her kids outside to each collect a small stone. When the siblings brought their stones inside and gave them to their mom, she chose the "perfect" one—presented by the child she secretly knew needed a boost that day—to wash and toss right into the soup pot! While you don't need to include the stone to make this delicious soup, this is a touching tradition to try with your own family.
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Served at: Song & Hearth: A Southern Eatery, Dollywood's DreamMore Resort & Spa
Dolly's Stone Soup
Ingredients
8 cups chicken stock
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups chopped cabbage
1 pound turnips, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1/3 cup chopped sweet onion
4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound smoked ham hock
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small clean stone (optional)
Directions
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In a large stockpot over medium heat, add stock, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, turnips, carrots, onion, garlic, and ham hock. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
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Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, 2 hours or until vegetables are tender.
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Remove ham hock and shred meat from bone. Return meat to soup and discard bone. Drop stone into soup, if desired. Serve warm.
Excerpted from The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook by Erin Browne. Copyright © 2023 by Erin K. Browne. Photos by Harper Point Photography. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
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