Ham Hock and Lentil Soup
Serves: 4
Time: approx 2 hours
If you do the first stage of this soup as a prep ahead step then you will fly through making this soup
Leftovers
This soup can last pretty well when just for two, depending on your portion size you might get more than four serves.
What you'll need
1 large smoked ham hock
1 brown onion
4 cloves of garlic
8 sprigs of thyme
4 celery stalks
2 carrots
2 potatoes
1 tin of lentils
1/2 a bag of baby spinach
1 litre of chicken stock
From the pantry
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Optional Xtra’s for Lunch
Crusty bread and butter
Prep and Cook
Boil Ham Hock
For this dish you need a pot that is large enough to fit your hock comfortably and completely cover with liquid.
Peel and finely dice onion and carrot.
Finely chop thyme discarding any large stalks.
Saute on a high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft.
Add the hock along with the stock and enough water to completely cover the hock. Bring up to the boil and then turn down to a high simmer and cover with a lid. leave to cook for 1 hour check occasionally to make sure you aren’t boiling the hock.
While the hock cooks you can prep the rest of your veg.
Shred Meat
After an hour your meat should have softened enough to pull off the bone. (some hocks may need a bit longer)
Remove your hock from the liquid and sit on a chopping board to cool. Do Not tip out the liquid; this is your stock for the soup.
Then peel the skin off and shred up the meat using a couple of forks.
Add Veg
Peel and cut the carrot into small cubes.
Wash and cut celery into small cubes of similar size.
Peel and cut potato to a similar size.
Add all the veg to the hock liquid along with shredded meat and place a lid on to cook for 20 minutes.
Drain your lentils and add to the soup once your veg has cooked.
Check the seasoning but I rarely add salt. I only find this soup requires pepper.
Just before you are ready to serve add the spinach.
Enjoy!
Lunch tomorrow
There should be plenty of leftovers for lunch. A good food thermos is a great idea for leftover soup lunch. Don’t forget some crusty bread and butter.