Signature Dish: Mum’s Ham Shank Stew

[box]This is a Signature Dish competition entry by luckybugbev. I am LOVING the rhyme that comes with this recipe. Great work! – Matt[/box]

Me and my siblings were brought up on this dish. I used to bring all my schoolmates home for tea and we always had ham shank stew on the stove, everyone loved it. They loved it so much one mothers day everyone chipped in for a mothers day wish in the local newspaper, and they helped write it!

It went as follows:

To the greatest mother in the land
is Alison Evans and her band,
Theres Beverley, Joey, Julie too,
Ben the dog and her Ham Shank Stew

We still laugh about it today, thats how popular this dish was!

Serves 6

• Lentils
• Split Peas
• Dried butter beans
• 1 Ham Shank
• 3 large potatoes, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 Onion, diced
• 3 ham stock cubes

The night before, soak your lentils, split peas and butter beans.

Boil your ham shank for around 2 hours, or until meat falls off the bone. Take it out of the pan and drain the juice into a clean pan. Add all your vegetables and pulses and bring to a boil. Add the stock cubes and simmer for about 40 mins.

Slice the meat and put on a seperate plate so your family can help themselves. Serve with fresh crusty bread.

An extra tip, this soup tastes even better if left overnight as it gives chance for the pulses to thicken it. Also, add any veg you want. I often add cabbage and swede, or use up whatever is in the kitchen. Makes a filling, tasty and cheap meal that can be made in advance!