Ham hock rillettes with pistachio salt
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- + overnight chilling
- Easy
- serves 8
Ingredients
- 2 smoked ham hocks
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- a small bunch chives, chopped
- 200g salted butter, at room temperature
- a small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- chopped to make 1 tsp garlic
- a handful shelled pistachios
- sea salt flakes
- toasted to serve crusty bread
- olive oil
Method
- STEP 1
Wash the ham hocks, put them in a large pan and cover with cold water. Add the coriander seeds, black peppercorns, bay leaf, onion, carrot, celery and chives. Cover with a lid and simmer the ham for 3-4 hours, or until the meat comes away from the bone.
- STEP 2
Remove the ham from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and leave until it’s cool enough to handle. Once cooled, remove the skin from the ham and, with clean hands, shred the meat into small chunks.
- STEP 3
Mix the butter, parsley and thyme in a bowl, then add the shredded ham, and season with salt and pepper. Pack the mixture into a sealable container, smoothing over the surface. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
- STEP 4
Toast the pistachios in a pan over a medium heat until golden, then grind them in a small blender with a pinch of sea salt flakes.
- STEP 5
To serve, leave the rillettes out of the fridge for 20 minutes, to soften, then heap a spoonful each onto plates and sprinkle the pistachio salt on top. Serve with toasted crusty bread, drizzled with a little olive oil.
