Winter recipe: ham hocks, potatoes and brussels sprouts
This recipe of smoked ham hocks, potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts rides a beautiful balance between rich, savoury and salty.
In the short days of winter everything slows down, and we tend to either hibernate or head north in search of warmer climes. With fewer daylight hours than anywhere else in Australia at this time of year, Tasmania is no stranger to the dark. Yet winter in the Apple Isle is like nowhere else, filled with a human energy that invites us to embrace the off-season. Dark Mofo, a mid-winter festival celebrating art, music, fire – and food – comes to life, and at the heart of the event is the Winter Feast, a culinary wonderland where locals and visitors revel in the crisp air and cozy up by the fire to celebrate the rich tapestry of the Tasmanian larder.
I was recently invited down to this year’s Winter Feast, where Slovenian chef Ana Roš was cooking a four-course winter banquet with Rodney Dunn from Agrarian Kitchen. Their collaboration was warm and captivating, approaching food with a natural reverence, and creating Slovenian-inspired dishes with uniquely Tasmanian ingredients. It took me back to my experience at Dark Mofo seven years ago, when I was asked to headline the Winter Feast, and created the ultimate winter warmer from smoked ham hocks, potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts.
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I love the raw beauty and innate complexity of brussels sprouts, although they are certainly a divisive food. For some people, the mere mention of them can evoke memories of childhood dinners, and the trauma of being forced to eat them as part of a traditional Christmas dinner. It is believed that our love-hate relationship may come from a genetic sensitivity to bitterness, found in approximately half of the population.
Boiling these winter treasures to death does them no favours, releasing a distinct sulfurous smell and rendering the texture to an unpalatable mush. They are best eaten as soon as possible after harvesting. I often like them shaved raw, although grilling or roasting over a high heat helps them to develop a rich nuttiness, which is hard to resist whatever your genetic disposition. The heat coaxes out their inherent sweetness, while the emerald exteriors char ever so slightly, creating a sublime textural contrast. The transformation is nothing short of magical. One bite reveals a tender heart concealed beneath layers of leaves; a burst of earthy sweetness intertwined with delicate hints of caramelised bitterness.
This recipe incorporates smoked ham hocks, which are a secondary cut but when roasted and slow-braised surrender a rich, smoky, savoury flavour that highlights the sweet nuttiness of the brussels sprouts. The creaminess of the Dutch cream potato rounds out the dish, which rides a beautiful balance between bitter, sweet, mineral, rich and salty.
RECIPE: Ham hock, sprouts and potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 x 500g smoked, free-range ham hock
- 750ml chicken stock
- 250ml white wine
- 1 brown onion, cut in half
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
- 350g brussels sprouts
- 500g Dutch cream potatoes
- 400g rock salt, for the pan
- Olive oil
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C. Roast the ham hock for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.
- In a large casserole dish, add the ham hock, stock, white wine, onion, carrot, and celery. Braise either on the stove or in the oven at 120C for approximately 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is just falling off the bone.
- Cool, and remove vegetables; pull meat off bone and cover with strained stock. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, wash and thoroughly dry the potatoes. Place salt on a baking tray and arrange potatoes in a single layer on top.
- Bake until the potatoes are tender in the middle, which should take about an hour, depending on their size. Peel while warm and break into even pieces. Set aside.
- Remove and reserve the outer leaves of the brussels sprouts and cut the hearts in half.
- Drizzle the hearts with olive oil and roast in the oven for 10 mins at 200C until golden.
- Season lightly, scatter leaves on top and continue roasting for 4 minutes, until crisp.
- Warm potato and ham hock in the stock. Divide between 4 bowls and cover with roasted brussels sprouts and leaves. Serves 4