Ingredients

• 450-650g / 1-1lb 7oz ham collar, hand or knuckle, soaked in cold water for 24 hours
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• knob butter
• 2-3 onions, cut into 1cm dice
•   mushrooms, sliced
• 1.2 litres / 2 pints chicken stock or water
• 75-150ml / 2¼-5fl oz single cream
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
•   salt and pepper
•   crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Drain the ham and pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a small roasting pan. Add the meat and fry, turning occasionally, until rich, dark and golden all over. Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes.
2. After 20 minutes, melt the butter in a pan and fry the onions until lightly coloured. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes more.
3. Stir in the stock or water and bring to a simmer. Add the ham and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
4. Remove the ham from the soup. Shred or fork all the meat off the bone and return the strips to the soup. Pour in the cream, according to taste, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle in the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes