I got a bacon hock from my local farm shop for £1.12, so this is a very cheap meal.
Preparation and cooking time: Around 3 hours (but worth it)
Ingredients
One bacon hock
6 satsumas
1 lemon
Handful bay leaves
Handful cardamom pods
Handful rosemary
Black pepper
2 tbsp honey
Knob of butter
2 apples
Vegetables of choice
How I did it
Put bacon hock in a big pan with handsful of bay leaves, crushed cardamom pods and rosemary. Season with black pepper. I don’t add salt, as the hock is generally salty enough already.
Add sliced lemon and peeled satsumas (crush segments a little so juices flow freely).
Cover with water. Bring to boil, then simmer for 1 hr 30 mins.
Make yourself a pot of tea, or pour yourself a glass of wine, and relax for an hour.
Prepare vegetables of your choice.
When hock is ready, remove from the pan and pat the skin dry with a paper towel. Leave to rest for 15 mins.
Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
Remove fruit from pan and sieve to collect the juice. Mix honey and butter into a smooth paste and add the juice slowly, stirring all the time, to make a glaze.
Move hock to a casserole dish or roasting tray. Glaze the skin. Core and quarter the apples and place around the meat.
Pop on the top shelf of the pre-heated oven for 20 mins. Baste again with glaze, turn heat down to 180°C and cook for another 1/2 hour.
Serve with the roasted apple and vegetables of your choice.
Voila!
Jane Sandford 