Brenda, who gathers her loose threads here, recently suggested that I use smoked Ham Hocks for my Potée Auvergnate.
I wasn't really sure if such things were readily available, but knowing that everything 'porky' is revered in France (the home of charcuterie), I decided to make discreet enquiries.... and look what I found!
Needless to say, this has since been used in my most recent offering of this wonderful peasant dish, and it was BLOODY MARVELLOUS; the resulting stock will make superb soup for at least a week.
Brenda. Merçi cherie; without your prompt I might not have discovered this wonderful winter delight (it was well hidden). I think these smoked Hocks only appear at this time of year, and guess what; they were in with various other smoked meat products marked 'for making Potée Auvergnate'.
And considering that a good Potée is mostly vegetables, I don't suppose that the calorie count was over zealous either.
It sounds wonderful - how about sharing the recipe?
ReplyDeleteHear, here... Here?
ReplyDeleteLLX
If you type La Potée Auvergnate into the little white search box (top left), the recipe should appear.
ReplyDeleteor even find it on the bottom of my 'popular posts' list on the right.
DeleteDelicious Cro ...... I've just made my weekly chicken soup from the leftovers that lasts us for nearly a week ..... I must have a go at La Potée Auvergnate.
ReplyDeleteI just LOVE food !!!! XXXX
Lunchtime is known here as 'La Soupe', so that is what we always settle down to at Midi. A good stock works wonders.
DeletePerfect for making Eisbein mit sauerkraut, one of my favourites!
ReplyDeleteGood to see you're still alive Tom. Are you still in one piece (minus the fingers)?
DeleteHippo Still Lives!
DeleteUpdate at eleven...
I'm not sure I've ever seen one (though I've not been looking for one!)
ReplyDeletea) Where did you buy it?
b) Is it like gammon?
It came from Leclerc. Having been gently simmered for 90 mins, it was a lightly flavoured smoked ham, and very tender.
DeleteI do remember having ham hocks as a child, but that was a very long tine ago.
ReplyDeleteThey have recently become fashionable again in the UK, for a long time they just disappeared.
DeleteOoooooh, ham hocks. Food of the omigawds.
ReplyDeleteSo very mouth-watering!
ReplyDeleteGood job on finding it. I'll bet the smoky flavor is excellent in a broth.
ReplyDeleteGrocery stores in my part of the world have loads of ham hocks available year-round. Southerners love their fatty smoked pork!
ReplyDeleteThe two dishes they're regularly used in for flavoring are black-eyed peas and "greens" of any sort--collard, mustard, turnip, etc.
That looks a lot like the "Ham Bones" I get from the deli - the bone left after they have carved the ham from it. It has quite a lot of meat left.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that worries me about your Potee is cooking cabbage for a long time - is the cabbage in for the whole cooking period.
I always cook my cabbage for as short a time as possible. I suppose it is memories of Auntie Matt that still hang in there.
No, the cabbage goes in for the final 20 mins or so. The carrots have the longest, then the potatoes, then onions, then finally the cabbage. It doesn't have that school dinner/Aunty Matt type stink or flavour (thank goodness).
DeleteMy grandfather in Oklahoma could produce a mean batch of collard greens and ham hocks. They were heavenly, heavenly.
ReplyDeleteHello Marty. I shall have to try this too.
DeleteMakes me hungry for my mom's white beans and ham hocks...with a big glop of horseradish on top...yum.
ReplyDeleteBeans, ham, and horseradish; what better combination!
DeleteSmoked ham hocks are practically a staple in the southern states of the U.S. They add great flavor to just about any kind of greens or beans.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were able to find them.