Broth seems to be trendy so I’ve taken advantage but last year it would have been a soup. The spelt, not only gives it an earthydepth but will also help balance the slight saltiness which is inevitable if you want to keep any of the flavour from the ham hock.For me, the hock/parsley combo is perfect but feel free to add other greens – cavalo nero, spring greens, leeks etc
Ingredients - serves 4
1 smoked ham hock
3 celery sticks, 3 carrots, trimmed, 2 onions,
all cut into 1cm dice
1 head of garlic
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
100g pearled spelt (soaked for an hour)
150g flat leaf parsley
a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
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Method
Put the ham hock and 2.5 litres of water into a pot and bring to the simmer. Take off the heat, allow to cool for twenty minutes, pour away the water and start again. Bring to the simmer, skim, add the garlic, bay leaves and thyme, turn down the heat and leave to simmer for an hour and a half. Add the carrots, celery and onion and simmer for another hour. Take out the ham and leave it to cool. Throw away the thyme and bay leaves. Put the ham stock back on the stove and bring to a simmer. Give it a final skim then add the pearl barley, simmer until ‘al dente’. Peel the skin and obvious chunks of fat off the hock, pull the meat away from the bone, chop if necessary. Stir the meat back into the broth. Add the parsley, check the seasoning – pepper will probably be good. Cover the broth with a lid and simmer for ten minutes. Serve with some good bread and butter.
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