Ham Hock, Pearl Barley, and Cavolo Nero Broth
- 1 ham hock
- 3 sticks celery
- 3 carrots
- 2 onions
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 head garlic
- 30 g sage
- 100 g pearl barley
- 250 g cavolo nero
- drizzle oil
- Put the ham hock and 4-5l water into a pot with all the veg, herbs, and garlic.
- Bring to the boil, skim, then turn down the heat and leave to simmer for 4 hours, skimming occasionally until the meat is falling off the bone.
- Lift the ham out and leave it to cool.
- Take out the veg and put to one side.
- Throw away the thyme and bay leaves.
- Chop the veg into nice small chunks.
- Put the ham stock back on the stove and bring to a simmer.
- Give it a final skim then add the sage and pearl barley, cooking the barley according to the time on the packet.
- Pick and chuck the bigger bits of fat off the ham hock, then shred the meat into soup-size chunks.
- Stir this, along with the veg, into the stock and check the seasoning.
- About 25 minutes before the barley is cooked, stir in the cavolo nero.
- Cover the broth with a lid and simmer until the barley and cavolo are cooked.
- Season liberally.
- Serve in big bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and some crusty bread.
ham hock, celery, carrots, onions, bay leaves, thyme, garlic, sage, pearl barley, drizzle oil
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/ham-hock-pearl-barley-and-cavolo-nero-broth-473149 (may not work)