Smoked ham hock and lentil soup
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add the hocks to a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for five minutes. Drain the hocks and add back to a clean saucepan. Cover with 4½ litres of water and simmer for 40 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, add the lentils to a saucepan of boiling water. Bring up to a simmer and drain.
  3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, leek and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes until golden.
  4. Add the bay leaves and lentils and stir through. Add the hocks and their broth and simmer for 40 minutes.
  5. When the meat is coming away from the bones, turn off the heat, remove the hocks and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, pick off the meat and discard the skin and any gristly bits. Break the meat into bite-sized pieces and add back to the pan with the parsley. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and cook for five more minutes.
  6. To serve, poach the eggs to your liking. Serve each bowl of soup with an egg, a drizzle of oil and a good grind of pepper.