Ham Hocks the Irish Way
Ingredients
- 2 x 350 gram ham hocks, soaked in a bowl of cold water overnight
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon white peppercorns
- 200 grams clear runny honey
- 50 grams wholegrain mustard, I use grey Poupon
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely sliced
- 250 grams mashed potato
- 30 grams butter, unsalted
- 30mls double cream
- 250 grams abbage or kale, blanched and sliced, we use Savoy, January king, or green pointed
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard, again I use grey poupon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 450mls double cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 250 grams cheddar cheese, grated, we have used both Lancashire and Cheshire cheese
Accompaniment
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Description
Sweet succulent ham hocks served with a colcannon mash and cheese cream, this is a very tasty dish and will keep family and friends coming back for more.
Method
-
1
For the ham hocks, rinse the ham hocks with fresh water. Place them into a large pan and cover with water.
Add the onion, carrots, and bay leaf and white peppercorns, bring to the boil reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for two to three hours, or until the meat is tender and falling from the bone. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°C/Gasmark 6.
Trim the outer layer of fat from the cooled ham hocks, and then make criss-cross patterns in the remaining soft fat on the hocks using a sharp knife.
In a bowl, mix together the honey and mustard until well combined.
Line a large roasting tray with aluminium foil fill the tray with the ham hocks and the boiled vegetables spread the honey and mustard mixture all over the ham hocks then roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, basting frequently with the juices that collect in the roasting tray, or until the ham is tender and completely cooked through.
Meanwhile, make colcannon, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat add the onion and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, or until softened and golden.
In a large bowl, mix together the mashed potato, butter, cream, blanched cabbage and mustard until well combined and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Transfer the potato mixture to the frying pan with the onions in and press down to form a large potato cake. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown on one side turn over, using a plate if necessary to help you, and fry on the other side for a further 4 to 5 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown on both sides.
For the cheese cream, in a separate pan, bring the double cream, garlic clove and bay leaf to the boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, then simmer the mixture until the volume of liquid has reduced by a third, this takes about 10 to 12 minutes.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and discard the garlic clove and bay leaf and return the liquid to the pan add the grated cheese and stir until completely melted.
To serve, carve the ham into thick slices, and divide equally among eight serving plates, place a spoonful of the colcannon alongside each now spoon over the cheese sauce.
Serve and Enjoy!
Chef's Tips
Side dishes don’t come more Irish than creamy colcannon, it is a traditional Irish dish mainly consisting of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage. It is also the name of a song about that dish.
Colcannon is traditionally made from mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, butter, salt, and pepper. It can contain other ingredients such as milk, cream, leeks, onions, chives, garlic, boiled ham, or Irish bacon. At one time it was a cheap, year-round staple food, though it is usually eaten in autumn/winter, when kale comes into season An old Irish Halloween tradition was to serve colcannon with prizes of small coins concealed in it, as the Irish and English do with Christmas pudding.
The song "Colcannon", also called "The Skillet Pot", is a traditional Irish song that has been recorded by many artists, including Mary Black. It begins:
Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?
With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.
Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake
Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?
The chorus goes:
Yes you did, so you did, so did he and so did I.
And the more I think about it sure the nearer I'm to cry.
Oh, wasn't it the happy days when troubles we had not,
And our mothers made Colcannon in the little skillet pot.
A very nice classic recipe. Well written up and an interesting story to go with it.