Traditional Scottish recipe: Lentil broth
Perfect pulses pack some serious flavour, writes Tom Kitchin as he gives us a modern twist on this traditional recipe for lentil broth
Lentil broth can make a tasty starter or lunch, or even a supper if you enjoy it with some fresh crusty bread. Made just like your granny used to, it’s a classic dish that never fails to put a smile on the family’s faces.
Ingredients
- Lentil broth
- Serves four
- 1 ham hock – smoked
- 300g puy lentils (rinsed)
- 2 whole carrots – diced
- 1 small celeriac – diced
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- salt to taste, if required
- cracked black pepper
- For the mirepoix
- 1 carrot – roughly chopped
- 1 small onion – roughly chopped
- 1 stick of celery – roughly chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 bouquet garni
Serves: 4 Difficulty: Medium
Method
Lentil Broth
1 Place the ham hock in a heavy-bottomed pan and cover with cold water. Bring it to the boil and skim the surface.
2 Add the mirepoix vegetables and simmer for 2-3 hours until the ham is just falling off the bone – taste the liquid to see if it needs more seasoning. Leave the ham to cool in the broth.
3 Take some of the liquid stock, and add to another pot, then add the lentils – simmer gently for 45 minutes until just tender.
4 After 35 minutes, add the diced vegetables and cook for another ten minutes.
5 Once cooked, and the ham hock is cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bone and remove any fatty sinew so you have lovely chunks of meat.
6 Add the meat back into the pan with the lentils and vegetables, and bring to the boil.
7 Serve in large bowls and garnish with parsley and cracked black pepper.
http://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/recipes/tom-kitchin-duck-confit-on-a-bed-of-lentils-and-spring-vegetables/