SR Lentil and Smoked Ham Hock Soup with Sweet Potato Wontons
Lentil and Smoked Ham Hock Soup with Sweet Potato Wontons
Ingredients
1 & 1/2 Cups lentils
4 Ounces smoked ham hocks
10 Cups chicken stock
6 Ounce cups chopped carrots, peeled, reserve peelings
6 Ounces chopped leaks, white part only, reserve green parts
1/3 Cup finely chopped onions, in all, reserve onion peelings
3 Tablespoons cloves chopped garlic, in all
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, in all
2 Bay leaves, in all
6 Tablespoons olive oil, in all
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 Cup Louisiana sweet potatoes in light syrup
5 Ounces collard greens
½ Teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
½ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
24 Wonton skins
1 Egg, beaten
4 Tablespoons finely chopped chives
Instructions
Cover the lentils with cold water and soak for 3 to 4 hours, reserve in the refrigerator. Prepare ham hock stock by placing the hocks and chicken stock into a 1-gallon soup pot. Add the green part of the leeks and other scraps from the vegetables (onions and carrots) to add flavor, add thyme stems and 1 bay leaf. Simmer at medium low heat for 2 hours. Skim the stock of any impurities that rise to the top. The hocks should be fork tender; if not, allow the stock to simmer for a little longer. Take hocks out of pot and allow to cool. Strain the ham stock, using a fine strainer and reserve. In a separate 1-gallon soup pot, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil at medium heat and sweat 1/4 cup of onions and 2 tablespoons of garlic. Add the chopped leaks, carrots, 1 tablespoon of thyme and remaining bay leaf. This mixture should not have any color from the sweating process. Drain soaked lentils, add the lentils into the soup pot, and stir the lentils and vegetable mixture just enough to mix evenly. Cover the lentils with ham hock. Credits: Akihiro Moroto.