Strawberry Jam
Make the strawberry season last all year long with this easy strawberry jam. This is a good way to use up under-ripe or tart strawberries - freeze them until you have enough to make a batch of jam.
Leek and Lentil Soup
This recipe makes use of the whole vegetables and strips the ham hock of its meat. A hearty soup to eat right away or freeze for another time.
Don’t lose track while you’re cooking, click on an ingredient or step to tick it off so you know where you are up to.
Ingredients
- 2 ham hocks
- 2 leeks, sliced (green tops sliced but don’t discard)
- Leaves of half a bunch of celery
- 3 unpeeled carrot, sliced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 sticks celery sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 cup red lentils
Method
- Place the ham hocks in a saucepan. Add the sliced green leek tops, leaves of the celery and one of the carrots. Fill with cold water and cover. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 hours until the meat is dropping off the bone. Remove the hocks and strain the stock, but don’t discard it.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan sauté the carrots, celery, and white part of the leak and onion until soft.
- Pour over the stock until the vegetables are well covered. Add the lentils and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Blitz with a hand held blender stick or mash with a potato masher. Add more stock if the soup is too thick. Shred the ham hock meat and add to the soup. Season with ground black pepper (it probably won’t need salt).