Melanie’s Celeriac & Smoked Ham Hough Winter Soup

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 2.5 hours

Serves: 6

ingredients

Ham Hough Broth Ingredients:

• 1x Simon Howie Smoked Ham Hough
• 1x Large Carrot
• 1x Celery Stalks
• 1x Large Onion
• 1x Tbsp Peppercorns
• 1x Bay Leaf

Soup Ingredients:

• Cooked Meat From Ham Hough
• 2x Leeks, Sliced
• 1x Large Celeriac, Diced
• 1x Large Carrot, Diced
• 1x Celery Stalk, Sliced
• 1x Small Onion, Diced
• 500ml Ham Broth
• 100ml Double Cream
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 Gm (or 4 Tea Bags) Bouquet Garni
• 3 Tbsp Fresh Parsley
• 1/2 Tbsp Ghee
• 1/2 Tbsp Salt
• 1/4 Tbsp Pepper

Method

Ham Hough/Broth Prep:

• Place Ham Hough in a stockpot and cover with water.
• Chop and quarter the carrot, celery, and onion.  Add to pot.
• Add peppercorns and bay leaf to pot.
• Place lid on.  Bring water to boil over medium-high heat.
• Once boiled, reduce temperature to medium-low and simmer with lid on for 2 hours.
• Remove ham hough from pot and let cool.
• Remove vegetables from pot and use a fine-mesh skimmer to remove any surface foam.  Use a spoon to scoop out any larger particles within the stock.
• Strain your broth mix further by passing it through a cheesecloth.
• Once the ham hough has cooled, remove fat and skin.  Discard.
• Remove the meat and finely chop.
• Refrigerate until ready to be added to soup mix.

Soup Prep:

• Add ghee to an empty soup pot over medium heat.
• Once ghee melts, add the carrot, celery, onion, salt, & pepper and sauté for 1o mins.
• Add apple cider vinegar and let it bubble for 2-3 mins.
• Add the leeks and sauté for another 10 mins.
• Add celeriac, pour in chicken stock and strained ham broth.  Bring to boil.
• When boil is reached, reduce heat to a simmer. Add bouquet garni. Simmer for 90 mins.
• Remove the bouquet garni and slowly pour the double cream into soup while stirring on simmer.
• Remove pot from burner, add the finely chopped ham to the soup mix ensuring ham is warmed through.
• Add fresh parsley and stir through.
• Add more salt & pepper if necessary to taste.
• Serve and ENJOY Melanie’s full-of-flavour winter warmer soup!

You can check out all of Melanie’s healthy dishes @lowcarbinscotland on Instagram.  Be sure to give her a follow!