Smoked Ham Hock, Rye and Cavolo Nero Soup

The Town Mouse team join us again today with a very fitting recipe for this week's chilly temperatures - a hearty Smoked Ham Hock, Rye and Cavolo Nero Soup.  As Christian says below, this rich, comforting meal really is the ultimate nourishing mid-week-mid-winter soul food! - Lucy

Smoked Ham Hock, Rye and Cavolo Nero Soup from the clever lads at The Town Mouse.  Photo - Sean Fennessy.

Everyone should have a wholesome wintery soup in their repertoire. Whether it's your health or your soul that needs restoration, this smoky, slurpy super-food laden soup is what we all wish someone would bring us when we're feeling a little under the weather.  Simmering on the stove, a soup fills your home with warmth, goodness, and the promise of many a nourishing meal in the coming days. Ham hocks are so great to cook with, they imbue the rest of the dish with their smoky goodness, and create a rich, silky textured broth.  We think this soup is a meal in itself, but it's also a great one to have on standby in the fridge, for a warming cup when you get home from work, chilled to the core after waiting too long at the tram stop, or damp from the soggy bike ride home. Paired with cheesy toast, and accompanied with a rich bottle of Porter or textural glass of white, this is the ultimate mid-week-mid-winter soul food.

Ingredients

1 smoked ham hock 1 onion 1 celery stick 1 carrot 4 garlic cloves 50g rye grain 5g thyme 1 rosemary sprig 1 bayleaf 100g cavolo nero, washed and sliced 10g parsley, chopped 1 lemon zest 30ml olive oil

Method

Dave trims the cavolo nero.  Photo - Sean Fennessy.

In a medium sized pot take the smoked ham hock and cover with water, bring to the boil and gently simmer for two to three hours. You may need to top up the water every now and again. When the meat is falling off the bone tender, remove the pot from the heat and leave the ham hock to cool in the liquid for one hour. When cool enough to handle, carefully pick the meat from the bone and strain the stock, reserve both. Cut the onion, carrot, celery and garlic into a small dice. Gently caramelise these ingredients in a medium sized pot, when they're nice and golden add the reserved ham hock stock, rye and the hard herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook until the rye is soft (about 15 - 20 mins), then add the cavolo nero and continue to cook until the cabbage is tender (about 10 - 15 mins). When the soup is ready, take it off the heat and add the chopped parsley, lemon zest and olive oil. Season well. A nice hearty meal for a cold winter's day! MASSIVE thanks to The Town Mouse team for sharing their impressive culinary repertoire with us this month.  Do pop in to The Town Mouse at 312 Drummond St, Carlton, where you will find this and many more amazing dishes on the menu!  Say hi from us!

Dave serves up the soup.  Photo - Sean Fennessy.