The Hole in the Wall, 2 High Street, Little Wilbraham, Cambs CB21 5JY. Tel 01223 812282
Good Eating and Drinking
Good Eating and Drinking
Yellow Split Pea Soup with Flaked Ham and Chive Cream
Serves 8
For the ham stock
I ham hock
1 carrot
1 onion, halved
2 celery sticks
2 star anise
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp juniper berries
For the soup
75g butter
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
300g yellow split peas, soaked in cold water for 12 hours
200 ml single cream
freshly ground black pepper
For the cream
1 small bunch of chives, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
100 ml whipping cream, lightly whipped
Put the ham hock in a heavy-based pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes then remove from the pan. Put the hock in another pan with all the other ingredients for the stock and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer on a medium heat for three hours, until the meat falls off the bone easily. Remove the hock and strain the stock. Rinse the saucepan.
To make the soup, put the butter in the saucepan and sweat the onions and garlic for 15 minutes or until the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the drained split peas and 600ml (1 pint) of the ham stock. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the peas are completely soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Purée in a blender, add the single cream and season with black pepper, to taste.
To serve, flake the flesh from the ham hock. Warm the soup without boiling it. Mix the chives and some black pepper with the slightly whipped cream. Scatter some of the flaked ham and a spoonful of the cream before serving.
Serves 8
For the ham stock
I ham hock
1 carrot
1 onion, halved
2 celery sticks
2 star anise
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp juniper berries
For the soup
75g butter
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
300g yellow split peas, soaked in cold water for 12 hours
200 ml single cream
freshly ground black pepper
For the cream
1 small bunch of chives, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
100 ml whipping cream, lightly whipped
Put the ham hock in a heavy-
To make the soup, put the butter in the saucepan and sweat the onions and garlic for 15 minutes or until the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the drained split peas and 600ml (1 pint) of the ham stock. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and cook for 30-
To serve, flake the flesh from the ham hock. Warm the soup without boiling it. Mix the chives and some black pepper with the slightly whipped cream. Scatter some of the flaked ham and a spoonful of the cream before serving.
Plum Crumble with Proper Custard
Serves 6
1 kg plums, halved and stoned
200 g caster sugar
Pinch of ground cinnamon
200 ml sweet white wine
250 g unsalted butter, diced
For the crumble topping
250g cold unsalted butter
120 g lain flour
120 g jumbo oats
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
50 g soft dark sugar
For the custard
150 ml milk
150 ml double cream
1 vanilla pd, split
8 egg yolks
70 g caster sugar
Place the halved and stoned plums in a heavy-based pan, add the sugar, cinnamon, white wine and butter, and cover. Cover over a medium heat until the plums are soft, but not mushy. Remove and strain. Save the juices.
To make the crumble, put the butter, flour, oats and lemon rind in a bowl and rub together until the mixture comes together to form little lumps.
Preheat the oven to 170C/325f/Gas Mark 3. Put the plums and their cooking juices into a buttered ovenproof dish and spread the crumble mixture on top. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and bake until golden brown.
To make the custard, put the milk and cream into a saucepan. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod with a small knife and put these and the pod into the saucepan. Heat together until boiling. Immediately take the pan off the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
Mix the egg yolks and sugar together and beat until pale. Remove the vanilla pod and pour the milk and cream mixture on to the eggs, stirring as you do so. Put the mixture back into the pan and cook and on a very low heat, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens. Do not let it boil or the mixture will curdle. Serve the crumble with the custard.
Serves 6
1 kg plums, halved and stoned
200 g caster sugar
Pinch of ground cinnamon
200 ml sweet white wine
250 g unsalted butter, diced
For the crumble topping
250g cold unsalted butter
120 g lain flour
120 g jumbo oats
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
50 g soft dark sugar
For the custard
150 ml milk
150 ml double cream
1 vanilla pd, split
8 egg yolks
70 g caster sugar
Place the halved and stoned plums in a heavy-
To make the crumble, put the butter, flour, oats and lemon rind in a bowl and rub together until the mixture comes together to form little lumps.
Preheat the oven to 170C/325f/Gas Mark 3. Put the plums and their cooking juices into a buttered ovenproof dish and spread the crumble mixture on top. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and bake until golden brown.
To make the custard, put the milk and cream into a saucepan. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod with a small knife and put these and the pod into the saucepan. Heat together until boiling. Immediately take the pan off the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
Mix the egg yolks and sugar together and beat until pale. Remove the vanilla pod and pour the milk and cream mixture on to the eggs, stirring as you do so. Put the mixture back into the pan and cook and on a very low heat, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens. Do not let it boil or the mixture will curdle. Serve the crumble with the custard.
These recipes by Hole in the Wall’s Chris Leeton are taken from “The Gastropub Cookbook: Another Helping” by Diana Henry
