The difference between dishes I would cook at home, and those I would cook at the restaurant are twofold; firstly, the effort involved in sourcing the best ingredients (we currently use lightly smoked and cured Ham Hocks bought from local smoker, Capreolus Fine Foods); secondly, the preparation time; to make a Ham Hock Terrine takes 2 days. It's a worthwhile endeavour but as a home cook you've got to be organised to do it. This recipe is ideal if you start mid-week for a weekend dinner party, for example.
Ham Hock is a cheaper cut of meat and it's well worth sourcing a good quality joint from an independent butcher.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Ham Hock
1 onion
2 carrots
2 sticks celery
½ bunch Parsley
2 Gerkins
30 Capers
Small handful Hazelnuts
Method:
- Place the Ham Hock in a large pan and add water until it is just covered, then add the roughly chopped onion, carrot and celery. Cover the pan and simmer for 3 hours
- Take off the heat and leave it to chill
- Remove the Ham Hock and set the pan of liquor aside. Pick the meat off and chop into small pieces, place in a bowl
- Strain the liquor and return it to the heat on a rolling boil until it has reduced by 1/3, set aside
- Chop the parsley, gerkins, capers and hazelnuts and mix with the meat
- Spoon the mixture into a mould and press down gently. Add some of the liquor, then place in the fridge to set overnight
Presentation:
To serve, use a nice apple based chutney or homemade piccalilli (I'll do recipes for these soon)
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