Cider caramelised pork hocks with pease pudding (Serves 4 to 6) Two or three pork hocks 1 leek, trimmed, sliced and well-rinsed 1 celery stalk, trimmed and sliced 1 carrot, peeled and sliced 250 ml/9 oz cider 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 tablespoon d

Cider caramelised pork hocks with pease pudding

(Serves 4 to 6)

Two or three pork hocks

1 leek, trimmed, sliced and well-rinsed

1 celery stalk, trimmed and sliced

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

250 ml/9 oz cider

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dark muscovado sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons Worcester sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Split peas

The joint of meat you require is the fist size knuckle or hock, above the trotter. It does not hold a great deal of meat, but what there is, is exceedingly tasty, and you have the bonus of the luscious skin, which, in this recipe cooks to a burnished sticky savouriness. Put the knuckles in a large casserole with a well-fitting lid. Add the leek, celery and carrot, and cover with water.

Bring to the boil, skim impurities from the surface, cover with the lid and cook for about 4 hours at 150 C, gas mark 3.

Strain the liquid into a shallow pan and reduce it to about 200 ml/7 oz, keeping the hocks covered and in a warm place. Add the cider, vinegar, Worcester sauce and spices to the pork gravy and boil down to sufficient to well-moisten, but not drown, the meat and pease pudding.

Meanwhile put the split peas in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer until tender, adding more water as they absorb it. It is worth cooking more than you need for this dish in order to produce a soup later in the week.

You can also serve some crisp steamed cabbage or curly kale with the pork and pease pudding, and thus you will also have some lucky greens.