What to do with ham shanks?

bizzyb

I seen ham shanks in my local super valu today for €2 each. Anyone have a recipe to turn them into something tasty? I am a big fan of buying cheap cuts and turning them into something special.

Minder

I'd steep them to remove salt then simmer in fresh water for a couple of hours with some onion, a couple of cloves, stick of celery, a carrot and a couple of bay leaves. Save the cooking liquid and cook braised puy lentils.

Fry a chopped onion in a little olive oil, add chopped celery and carrot and sweat until the onion is soft. Then add one diced peeled potato and the lentils. Taste the ham liquor to see of its salty and use it to cook the lentils, covering them with about an inch of liquid in a flat pan. Simmer gently. Top up with more liquid if they are drying out.

The lentils are cooked when they are soft and all chalkiness is gone. Use the boiled potato to mash into the remaining cooking liquid to thicken for a sauce. Shred the ham off the bone and add to the lentils with some chopped parsley.

If the cooking liquid is too salty, use 50/50 stock water or use some chicken stock instead.