Beer-doused ham hock by Rachel Khoo.

Rachel Khoo: Beer-doused ham hock | Mail Online:
- A ham hock (or hough) or pork knuckle is the lower leg segment of the hind leg of the pig.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 ham hocks (each approx 1.2kg) or 4 small ones (each approx 600g)
1.5 L blonde beer
80g salt, plus extra to season
Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2tbsp of the juice
10 black peppercorns
4 tbsp runny honey
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 onions, peeled and quartered
4 carrots, peeled and sliced lengthways
1 stick of celery, cut in half
250g Puy or green lentils
A small bunch of fresh parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
Directions
Score the skin of the ham hocks with a sharp knife.
Pour 1.25 L of the beer and 750ml water into a large bowl and stir in the 80g of salt until it has completely dissolved.
Add the zest and peppercorns.
Submerge the hocks in the brine, making sure they are completely covered.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.
Remove the hocks from the brine.
Stir the honey and mustard together and rub it all over the hocks.
Place the onions, carrots and celery in a large roasting dish and top with the hocks.
Pour over 250ml water and the remaining beer.
Cover with a layer of baking paper, followed by a layer of foil.
Cook in the oven for 3.5-4 hours (2.5-3 hours if using 4 small hocks), basting the meat regularly with the juices and turning the hocks around from time to time.
The meat should be falling off the bone.
For the last 30 minutes of the cooking time, remove the foil.

Meanwhile cook the lentils according to the packet instructions.
Drain and toss with the parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Shred the ham and serve with the lentils, carrots and onions and some of the roasting juices poured over the top.

Chorizo, chickpea and red pepper stew.

From Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cooking chorizo, around 350g, cut into 2cm chunks
2 onions, diced
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 jar flame-grilled red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
750 ml chicken or vegetable stock
Small bunch of parsley, tough stalks removed and roughly chopped

Method
Warm the olive oil over a medium heat in a medium-sized saucepan or casserole dish and sauté the chorizo for a couple of minutes, until it releases its spicy red fat and just begins to take on a little colour.
Remove the chorizo from the pan and reserve in a bowl.
Lower the heat a little and gently fry the onions with the bay leaf and a pinch of salt, stirring from time to time, until soft.
This should take around 15 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute.
Return the chorizo to the pan with the peppers and chickpeas and stir for a minute.
Add the tomatoes and stock and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Stir in half of the parsley and serve in warmed bowls with the rest of the parsley scattered over the top, with some crusty bread to mop up the sauce.