Horseradish Cream Soup with Pickled Ham Hock

Ingredients

• 750 g pickled ham hock
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 0.5 stalk leeks
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 2-3 allspice berries
• 4 juniper berries
• 1 onion
• 200 g waxy potatoes
• 200 g knollensellerie
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 800 ml vegetable broth
• 50 g horseradish root
• 100 ml heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• Salt
• ground coriander
• parsley
• edible flowers as desired (e.g., chives)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Rinse the ham hock under running water. Fill a large pot with cold water, add the ham hock ensuring it is fully submerged, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer just below boiling for about 1 hour, skimming foam as needed.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile peel and trim the onions and carrots; cut onions into wedges and carrots into sticks. Add both to the pot along with the spices and continue cooking together for another hour until the meat begins to separate from the bone.

3. 3.

   For the soup, peel and dice the onion, potatoes, and knollensellerie. Sauté all in a pot with 1 tbsp hot butter until translucent. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stir briefly, then pour in the broth and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. 4.

   Grate the horseradish root finely; set aside a small amount for garnish. Add the rest to the soup, blend until smooth, strain through a fine sieve, bring back to a boil, add cream, and reduce slightly or add more broth if needed.

5. 5.

   Remove the ham hock from the broth, loosen the meat from the bone, and cut into pieces with the rind if desired. Arrange on deep plates with some of the cooked vegetables.

6. 6.

   Finish by adding the remaining butter to the soup, whisk briefly until frothy, season with lemon juice, salt, and coriander, then pour over the ham hock. Sprinkle with the reserved horseradish, garnish with parsley and flowers, and serve.