Soups & stews
Spring green, ham and bean broth
Soaking and simmering the gammon takes a while, but it's worth it for the rich, salty flavour it brings to this springtime broth. Invigoratingly hearty, this broth is all you need for a main meal, perhaps with a hunk of bread for mopping up the juices. It reheats well, if you want to have it as a weeknight dinner. If you don't have time to soak the gammon, bring it up to the boil in a pan of water, then discard the water. Carry on as if you had soaked it overnight.
Ingredients
To cook the gammon:
- 1kg whole uncooked gammon, soaked in a pan of cold water overnight
- 1 onion, cut in half
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- a few whole peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
For the broth:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, sliced
- leaves from 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1.2 litre veg stock
- 2 large or 4 smaller potatoes, diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 300g spring greens, tough stalks removed, leaves finely shredded
- 400g tin cooked white beans
- small handful wild garlic leaves, shredded (optional)
Method
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Step 1
Drain the gammon and put back in the pan with the onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns and bay. Cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1½ hours.
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Step 2
Drain the liquid (taste it first, if it isn't too salty you can use it for the broth instead of veg stock).
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Step 3
Leave the gammon until cool enough to handle, then cut in half, keeping one half for cold cuts. Dice the other, discarding any fat.
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Step 4
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the sliced onions and thyme and fry gently for a few minutes.
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Step 5
Add the paprika, stock, potatoes and bay. Season.
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Step 6
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.
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Step 7
Add the diced gammon, greens, beans and wild garlic if using. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Check the seasoning before serving.