Name: Colin Fassnidge’s smoked ham hock barley ragoût
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 195 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 small smoked ham hocks or 1 large (about 400gm); 1 fresh bay leaf; 1 thyme sprig; 1 each carrot, onion and celery stalk, coarsely chopped; To serve: coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley and sage; Barley ragoût; 300 gm pearl barley; 1 each carrot, onion and celery stalk, diced; 1 thyme sprig; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 375 ml hot brown chicken stock (1½ cups); 25 gm butter, coarsely chopped

Colin Fassnidge’s smoked ham hock barley ragoût

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for smoked ham hock barley ragoût by Colin Fassnidge from Sydney restaurant Four in Hand.

Serves 6

Prep

45M

Cook

2H 30M

Total

3H 15M

“Whether served as a side dish or as a meal in itself, this ragoût is perfect for winter.”

Ingredients

2 small smoked ham hocks or 1 large (about 400gm)

1 fresh bay leaf

1 thyme sprig

1 each carrot, onion and celery stalk, coarsely chopped

To serve: coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley and sage

Barley ragoût

300 gm pearl barley

1 each carrot, onion and celery stalk, diced

1 thyme sprig

1 garlic clove, crushed

375 ml hot brown chicken stock (1½ cups)

25 gm butter, coarsely chopped

Method

Main

1.Place ham hock in a large saucepan with bay, thyme and vegetables. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until meat falls from the bone (2 hours). Cool hock in liquid (1-2 hours), then pull meat from bone, coarsely shred (discard liquid, bone and skin) and set aside.

2.For barley ragoût, combine pearl barley, vegetables, thyme and garlic in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until barley is tender (20-30 minutes). Drain and return to pan (discard thyme). Stir through chicken stock and butter, add ham, scatter with parsley and sage, season to taste and serve hot.

This recipe is from the August 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.
Drink Suggestion: Off-dry European white such as a German riesling, Alsatian pinot gris or Loire Valley chenin blanc. Or for a red, go for a medium- to full-bodied aromatic syrah from the Northern Rhône Valley – a wine with a little spice and smoky gaminess. Drink suggestion by Stephen Craig
Notes