Ham Hock Soup

Cooking time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 1.5L chicken stock

• 500-600g smoked ham/bacon hock

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 celery stalk, diced

• 1 small turnip, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, diced

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 150g pumpkin, diced

• 1 zucchini, diced

• 1 can (400g) cannelloni white beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 large silverbeet / kale leaves, roughly chopped

• chilli flakes, to serve

• lemon juice, to taste

• pepper, to taste
  

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and stir occasionally for 3 minutes or until translucent.

2. Add stock, ham hock, carrot, celery, turnip, garlic, spices and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add more water as necessary to keep the ham hock covered.

4. Once the ham hock meat is tender, add pumpkin, and cook for a further 10 minutes.

5. Add in zucchini, cannelloni white beans and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender, and meat is falling from the bone.

6. Remove the ham hock from the pot and trim away the skin and fat. It should come away very easily. Then shred or coarsely chop the meat.

7. Add the meat back to the soup along with silverbeet and simmer for 2-4 minutes uncovered until wilted.

8. Serve this hearty and nourishing soup with chilli flakes, lemon juice and pepper to taste.

I hope you love this autumn/winter warmer as much as I do!