The recipes for the Jambonneau which is basically Nigella’s recipe and for the pea soup as promised
Jambonneau – Serves 6 This is not an elegant dish!
2 Jambonneau fumé about 1.5 kilos each.
Bottle dry cider
2 stick celery
2 carrots chopped into several pieces
4 small onions, halved
Bunch parsley
Tbs black peppercorns
Tsp fennel seeds (she uses a tablespoon but this is too much for my taste)
3 cloves (I couldn’t find mine but it was still good)
Tbs dark muscavado sugar.
Either soak the jambonneau overnight in cold water then drain, or put them in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and drain.
Put all the ingredients in a large pan, add water to barely cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for two hours or so, partially covered by a lid until the meat is tender and coming away from the bone. Take the bones out, leave to cool for a few minutes, then carve into chunks, discarding fat, bones etc. (I put them back into the stock while it cooled down so they could go on adding flavour).
Pea Soup – serves 4 – 6
This is a version of London Particular and you don’t have to be too exact about any of the quantities
2-3 rashers streaky bacon, optional
I large onion chopped;
Butter
450-500g split green peas (silly just to leave a bit in the packet), non-soak kind
2.4 litres or more of ham stock
seasoning
Worcester sauce
Chop bacon if using and cook in the butter, add onion and sweat until soft. Add the peas, stir so they’re all covered in fat and add the strained stock, season and bring to the boil. Cook for at least 40 minutes until the peas are really soft, longer if you like, then purée. Add more water if it’s too thick and any left over bits of meat from the jambonneau if you feel like it.
Check seasoning and add Worcester sauce to taste.
This is one of those soups that seems to improve if it’s kept until the next day though it may need more liquid.
I’m sure that you could use fresh peas too which would make a different texture and taste but would be equally as good.
Victoria Corby 