Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Oh for those days when you could ask any Italian delicatessen in Soho for an end of ham, or if the stars aligned, a whole bone from a prosciutto, so wonderful for simmering with beans. If there are still such under-the-counter treats in circulation, they are carefully guarded secrets of which not even a whisper reaches the streets.
Now, when my thoughts turn to making a hearty bean soup, it is with a smoked ham hock, perhaps more recognisable as a pork knuckle. Most often found in a butcher’s shop, it is inexpensive and a vital ingredient in Scots cooking. It can also be bought unsmoked, should the cook prefer.
A ham hock is a wonderful thing. Once cooked, it is lifted from the pan, placed on a dish to cool and picked of its meat. It is delicious in sandwiches spiked with mustard, or simply returned to the pan. The beans cooked with a hock are rich, savoury and light and require only the adding of a plethora of vegetables. Infused with olive oil and herbs (don’t add these until the last minute, even if you cook the soup a day in advance) it is a meal in itself and warms and nourishes splendidly in the winter months. You have a Scots cook’s word on the matter.
Jeremy Lee is the chef-proprietor at Quo Vadis
Bean, ham hock and carrot soup
Serves six
-
The night before cooking, place the beans in a pan and leave to soak in a cool place through the night.
-
Drain the beans and rinse well. Place them in a large pot alongside the ham hock and bay leaves. Cover with cold water, put on a moderate heat and bring gently to a simmer, spooning away any foam arising. Cook gently under a lid for three hours.
-
Trim the ends of the celery and chop finely. Peel and trim the onions and then chop finely. Slice the bacon thinly (if uncut) and cut into thin strips. Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed pan and add four tablespoons of the olive oil, then add the bacon and fry for two minutes. Then add the celery and onion, lower the heat and place a lid on top, stirring from time to time. Peel the carrots, parsnips and celeriac and chop coarsely then add to the pan, stirring well.
-
Cook for 45 minutes then tumble carefully on to the beans and ham hock. Agitate the pan gently to mix well, place a lid on top and let cook quietly for an hour or so, checking from time to time to see if any additional water is required to keep everything covered.
-
Trim the leeks then chop into coarse pieces and wash well in plenty of cold water, repeating several times. Add the leeks to the pan and return the lid, letting cook for a further 25 minutes.
-
Lift the lid and see if the leeks are tender. Season lightly (the hock and the bacon are rich in savour).
-
With great care, lift the hock from the soup and place on a plate. When cool enough, remove the rinds and pick the meat from the hock. Return the meat to the pot and discard the remains. Very gently stir all together.
-
In a pan, place the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, a pinch of chilli flakes, rosemary and thyme. Place this on a gentle heat and when warm, place to one side to infuse.
-
Strain the infused oil over the soup and serve alongside a large piece of parmesan, accompanied by a grater and a fully charged pepper mill.
Follow @FTMag to find out about our latest stories first
