Ham and leek with lentils

Frugal food week continues.

I made a chicken and ham pie the other week, and the ham consisted of pre packaged ham hock from Waitrose.  They have really nice packaging on their own brand products - simple, bold lettering suggesting what to do with the ingredient.  The ham hock came in a pack of two separate portions so I used one in the chicken and ham pie and saved the other with the intention of making the idea on the packaging, which is quite simply, "Pop in the pot with lentil and leek, bring out the mustard!"

There's a leek in the fridge from last week's veg box and there always lentils in the store cupboard, so here goes.

Chop your leek as finely as you can be bothered to and sweat in olive oil over a low heat.  If you find some spring onions in the fridge, add them too.  Likewise the odd mushroom.

Once the greens are nice and soft, throw in the ham hock and about 800ml stock (home-made or from a veg cube, whatever you have in the cupboard).

The lentils I had in the cupboard needed soaking overnight, which I did, and about 20 minutes in water at a simmer.  The quantities printed on the packet are massively over generous: it says 75g per person, but I used 50g each and it made enough for three.

Dried pulses can be amazing things - they look so unappetising in the packet, but after an overnight soaking these green lentils have swollen up and look succulent!

A ham and leek meal needs a bit of a kick, so why not throw in a couple of generous teaspoonfuls of wholegrain mustard a couple of minutes before the end of cooking time - and some capers, if you feel so inclined.

Taste verdict

A little bit bland, if I'm honest, despite the mustard.  Maybe chorizo would have been a better choice than plain ham?  Not bad though, and seriously cheap.

The skinny

Sweat a chopped leek in olive oil over a low heat

Add chopped spring onions and sliced mushrooms

Add ham hock, 800ml stock and lentils

Season with salt and pepper

Simmer until the lentils are cooked

Add mustard and some capers