This salad looks as pretty as a picture and tastes just as good. It is another way of utilising wonderfully tasty, inexpensive ham hocks. It makes a delicious main course served with some crusty bread. You can grow peas, rocket, green sorrel and other salad leaves and various edible flowers in a Click & Grow smart garden, I would highly recommend smart gardens, they bring so much pleasure being able to create fresh dishes like this one, where the produce is picked and used immediately. If you want to find out more about smart gardens or are interested in buying one, see link on my smart garden page above and use my discount code JACQUI10 at checkout for a 10%discount on gardens, bundles & pods.
Ingredients:
Ham hocks:
1-2 unsmoked ham hocks depending on size (around 1kg) or ready cooked ham hock
1 leek cut into 4 pieces
1 carrot cut into 4 pieces
2 fresh bay leaves
Salad:
200g green beans
12 quail eggs
160g sugar snap peas (cut in half lengthways)
120g fresh raw peas
150g radishes
A handful of salad/herb leaves such as rocket, green sorrel etc
Handful of edible flowers such as Chive flowers, nasturtiums, pansies, cornflowers, sweet alyssum etc
Mustard dressing:
100ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp caster sugar
Method:
Soak ham hocks in cold water for several hours or overnight.
Remove from soaking water and place in a large pot with leek, carrot & bay leaves. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook for around 3-4 hours until tender and falling off the bone (keep an eye on the water to make sure they are constantly covered) Ideally leave to cool in water as this will ensure meat remains juicy and does not dry out. When cool, remove skin and any excess fat and shred using two forks. Set aside.
1kg unsmoked ham hocks, 1 leek, 1 carrot, 2 fresh bay leaves |
Bring a separate large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add green beans and blanch for 1-2 minutes, they still need to be crunchy but not completely raw and will be bright green in colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and put into a large bowl. Bring the saucepan of water to the boil again and add quails' eggs, boil for exactly 2 minutes, remove with slotted spoon and instantly run under cold water to stop them cooking. When cool, peel and cut in half, set aside. Add raw sugar snap peas & garden peas to bowl. Slice radishes and drop into iced water for a few minutes, this will help to crisp them up, drain and also add to bowl.
200g green beans, 12 quail eggs, 160g sugar snap peas (cut in half lengthways to expose peas), 120g fresh raw peas, 150g radishes |
Whisk all the ingredients together for dressing, pour over salad in bowl, toss to combine and lightly coat. Add shredded ham hock and salad/herb leaves and lightly toss again.
Arrange on a serving platter and arrange quail egg halves over the salad, sprinkle over edible flowers and a good grinding of black pepper, serve immediately.
100ml extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 2 tsp caster sugar |
Notes on where I get my ingredients:
Ham hocks from Kathleen Noonan, The English Market, Cork
Quail eggs from Superfruit, The English Market, Cork
Salad/herb leaves, peas & edible flowers grown in Click & Grow Smart Garden
For a 10% discount on Click & Grow Smart Gardens please click on this link
click & grow.com discount will automatically be applied at checkout or use my discount code JACQUI10
Thank you, Jacqui
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