As I type this, I've got a pot of soup with smoked ham hocks and lentils simmering away. Imagine Quebec-style split pea soup, only with brown lentils instead of yellow peas, and a ham hock instead of regular ham.
Pity the hocks. They're only one vowel away from a derogatory word we call ruralfolk and their appearance and origins – hocks are the just inches away from feet - make many squeamish. But before you write it off, try some. Ham hocks are really damn good. Southerners know about this well. They'll add it to collard greens to make the stuff from something healthy to something, well, typical Southern. Chef Frank Stitt elevates the lowly hock in a recipe that combines asparagus with a ham hock vinaigrette. Add them to anything with beans to elevate them to an ethereal level. Do it. This is not just like adding bacon to a dish to give it that dash of porky smoky flavour. Hocks are a whole other level of kickass – they release a ton of collagen and fat as you cook them, so everything in your pot gets a nice sheen, meaty thickness and a deep deep flavour. Go hicks. Er, I meant hocks.
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