Ham Hock Broth

I know I promised more posts relating to chocolate but with all this awesome weather we're having I thought a hearty soup would be more in keeping with these inclement weather conditions. Rain, rain, go away!  

A straight forward recipe which I borrowed from Adrian Edmondson's new TV programme, 'Ade in Britain'. Ham Hocks are from the ankle/calf region of the pig. The meat is not fatty and becomes very tender after long periods of cooking.

Use a mix of any root vegetables to make this soup. I used the following....

Ingredients: Ham Hock Broth

100g Red lentils
50g Dried haricot beans
50g Pearl barley
2 Potatoes (large)
1 Turnip (large)
6 Carrots
4 Red onions
2 Ham hocks (Local Supplier Great Garnetts)
4 Bay leaves
6 Stalks of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
Water

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 Hours

Method:

1. Soak the haricot beans over night in a bowl of water and drain.
2. Chop the vegetables into small chunks and place in a large pan with the lentils, pearl barley, haricot beans, bay leaves and thyme or mixed herbs.
3. Wash the hocks and add to the pan.
4. Season with salt and pepper and cover with cold water.
5. Bring to the boil and simmer for three hours.
6. Remove the hocks and strip away the meat into large chunks. Discard any bone or remaining fat and return the meat to the pan.
7. Adjust the seasoning and serve with chunky bread or herby dumplings.

Remove the scum, lovely word, from the surface as it builds up.

To make this broth more of a meal serve with herby dumplings.

Herby Dumplings - add these to the soup after stage 6 and simmer for 20 minutes.

Ingredients - makes eight

6 oz Self raising flour
3 oz Suet
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Mixed dried herbs

Method - Herby Dumplings

1. Mix all the ingredients together and add sufficient water to make a very soft dough. Do not over mix.
2. Spoon eight equal size portions into the soup. Cover and simmer gently for twenty minutes.