Hog author Richard H. Turner describes this as one of his favorite pies. So how could you possibly resist this very fall savory pie?
In the beginning, ham hocks are poached in a Court-Bouillon, a broth of spices and veggies. The recipes for Richard’s version follows below. You also need puff pastry. I suggest you purchase Hog for his recipe or you can use a good, good store bought version.
Once the ham hocks are poached, it’s a matter of combining the carrots, onions, and potatoes, then covering with the pastry for a final bake. This is a dish that takes time but that will be a centerpiece for a weekend feast. Savor your time in the kitchen while preparing this dish. Not too, too many ingredients. Not too, too much time. But much, much satisfaction. There is nothing like a rustic pie to fill your kitchen and your table with warmth.
Ham, Onion and Potato Pie
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
- Two 2 ¼ pound ham hocks
- 7 ounces carrots
- 7 ounces onions
- Court-bouillon to cover [recipe follows]
- 14 ounces potatoes, peeled
- ½ bunch of fresh curly parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 recipe puff pastry [page 149 in Hog]
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
Preparation:
Place the ham hocks, carrots, and onions in a large Dutch oven over low heat and cover with Court-bouillon. Do not season. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour, then add the potatoes and cook for a further 20 minutes.
Transfer the ham and vegetables to another dish and simmer the cooking liquid until reduced by half. Crush one of the potatoes and beat it into the liquid. Pass the now thick liquid through a sieve, pressing any potato bits through, then return it to the pan and add the chopped parsley and the mustard, adjusting the seasoning carefully and only if necessary.
Flake the ham, crush the carrots, and cut the onions and potatoes into chunks. Pour the parsley liquid evenly over the top and tip into a suitable pie plate.
Roll out your pastry on a floured surface to ½ inch in thickness. Cut a pastry strip the same width as the lip of the dish. Then wet the edge of the dish with beaten egg and fix the strip around it. Brush with more egg and lay the remaining pastry over the top. Trim the pastry to the edge of the dish then pinch the cut edges to seal and cut a slit in the top to let the steam escape. Brush the beaten egg all over the top of the pie.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot, golden, and risen, and serve with mustard on the side.
Court-Bouillon for Pork Dishes
Yield: 2 quarts
Ingredients:
- 2 leeks
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 3 onions
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 1 knob of fresh ginger root
- 1 star anise
- 2 cloves
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 10 mixed peppercorns
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 quarts cold water 1 lemon
- 1 sprig of fresh parsley 1 sprig of fresh thyme
Preparation:
Coarsely chop all the ingredients except the lemon and herbs and place in a Dutch oven.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Slice the lemon and add to the pot along with the herbs, then turn off the heat. Let cool and pass through a sieve, taking care not to disturb the solids.
Your Court-bouillon should be clear and fragrant
Source: Hog by Richard H. Turner [Mitchell Beazley, 2015]