Description
This creamy celeriac, mustard & ham hock soup offers a comforting blend of tender ham, sweet apple, and earthy celeriac, all enriched with tangy mustard and smooth crème fraîche. Perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner, this soup is slow-cooked to develop deep flavors and served with crusty bread for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Stock
- 1 unsmoked ham hock or gammon knuckle, weighing roughly 1.2kg
- 2 bay leaves
Soup Base
- 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, plus extra to serve
- 1 large onion, halved and sliced
- 1 eating apple (Braeburn recommended), cored and cut into chunks
- 1 large celeriac, washed and cut into chunks (peeled if very dirty)
- Approximately 1 litre ham stock (from cooking the ham hock)
Finishing Touches
- 100g crème fraîche, plus extra to serve
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- Cook the Ham Hock: Place the ham hock and bay leaves in a large pan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low-medium for 2 hours until the meat is very tender, topping up water as needed. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes. Remove the ham, strain the stock into a jug, discard the rind, shred the meat, and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Add the apple chunks and celeriac pieces, stirring to combine.
- Add Stock and Simmer: Taste the ham stock; if very salty, dilute with water until you have about 1 litre. Pour the stock into the pan with the vegetables, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 20 minutes or until the celeriac is very tender.
- Blend the Soup: Stir in 100g crème fraîche and 2 tbsp Dijon mustard. Using a hand blender, blitz the soup until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Warm the Ham: Reheat the shredded ham hock in a pan or microwave until warm.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, topping with a swirl of crème fraîche and a few drops of good olive oil. Sprinkle with the warmed ham hock and serve with crusty bread or ham and cheese toasties for dipping. Freeze leftover ham hock for up to two months.
Notes
- The ham stock can be frozen and used later for soups or risotto.
- Adjust the saltiness of the stock by diluting with water if necessary.
- Use a Braeburn apple for a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness.
- For faster cooking, use a pressure cooker to reduce ham hock cooking time to 30 minutes.
- Leftover ham hock freezes well for up to two months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: celeriac soup, ham hock soup, creamy soup, mustard soup, comfort food, British soup recipe, slow-cooked soup
