1 - I added the hock while it was still a bit frozen and it was not cooked enough using the cooking time in the soup with bacon. Also, the hock is salty so I will reduce the quantity of salt. Otherwise, and excellent recipe.
2 - To make sure the hock is well cooked I decided to try the slow cooker, and have transformed the recipe to reflect this. If this works, I have a final test I'd like to do before calling it done - is it better to cook the oats in the last 20 minutes or can I mix them into the slow cooker? The changes I made were very good! It worked!
12 cups cold water
2 cups of yellow split peas
1 smoked pork hock (any size)
4 oz (about 1 generous cup) of quick cook oats
Optional: 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf and/or 1 large carrot
1 Tbsp oil or lard
2 onions, chopped (12oz/340gr)
2 tsps of salt (to taste)
1 tsp of sugar
1⁄2 tsp of pepper
- Put the peas, hock and any herbs in a slow cooker 8 or 9hrs before you desire to eat.
- An hour before the slow cooker is done, add the oatmeal.
- Then, heat the oil in your soup pot and cook the onion over medium heat until very tender (where you can easily cut it with a wooden spoon), about 10 minutes.
- Season with the salt, sugar, and pepper. Cook a bit longer to allow the sugar to caramelize a bit. Remember, browning = more flavour!
- Once the hock is very tender remove it from the slow cooker and set it on a cutting board.
- Transfer the peas to your soup pot and bring to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, shred the hock, remove the bone, skin and fat and pop back in the good meaty bits.
- Enjoy with fresh bread.
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