Lentils With Ham Rosemary Slow Cooker Food

SLOW COOKER LENTIL AND HAM SOUP

Steps:

• In a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker combine the lentils, celery, carrots, onion, garlic and ham. Season with basil, thyme, oregano, the bay leaf and pepper. Stir in the chicken broth, water and tomato sauce. Cover and cook on Low for 11 hours. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

CROCK POT LENTILS WITH HAM AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in crock pot.
• Cover and cook on HIGH until lentils are tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Add boiling water if you want soupier lentils.
• Discard bay leaf before serving.

SLOW-COOKER HAM AND LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• In 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

HAM HOCK & LENTILS

Steps:

• Before starting the cooking process, first blanch the hocks to rinse away any impurities. To do this, just put the joints in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute, then carefully move the pan to the sink and drain off the hot water. Refresh the hams under cold running water for a minute or so, then tip out the water.
• The cooking process can now begin. To the blanched hams in the pan, add the onion quarters, along with the quartered carrots and the celery sticks, the thyme and bay leaf. Pour in enough fresh cold water to cover and bring to a simmer. The pan can now be covered with its lid and the hams cooked, keeping the liquor at a gentle simmer for 3 hours.
• To check if hams are cooked, pull out the small bone close to the large one - it should be loose and come out easily. Rest hams in the stock for 15-20 minutes (30 minutes, ideally), so the meat softens and relaxes. Lift out the hams and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain off 900ml/1½ pint ham stock into a jug and set aside. Reserve leftover stock.
• Now prepare the lentils. First blanch them by plunging them into a pan of boiling water, then drain into a sieve and refresh under the cold tap. This process not only rinses the lentils well, but it also speeds up the entire braising process.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the diced onion, carrot and celery, cover the pan and cook without colouring for 5-6 minutes. Tip in the blanched lentils, then pour in 900ml/1½ pint strained stock. Bring the lentils to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes - check occasionally and top up with more stock if needed - until tender. I prefer the braised lentils to have quite a loose final consistency without being over watery.
• About 10 minutes before the lentils are ready, strip off the skin and fat from the hams with a knife, then remove the meat from the bones and cut it into rough pieces or shred it with your fingers. To serve, add the shredded ham and the coarsely chopped parsley to the lentils, and season with a twist of pepper. If you think you need a little more liquid, simply stir in an extra ladle or two of strained stock.

SLOW-COOKED HAM AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the celery, carrots and onion in butter for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the water, lentils, ham, salt, marjoram and pepper. Stir in the celery mixture. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until lentils are tender.

LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP WITH HAM

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except stewed tomatoes, salt and pepper in slow cooker; cover and cook on high 4-6 hours.
• Add tomatoes during last 45 minutes.
• Discard ham hock; season to taste with salt and pepper.

LENTILS AND HAM

Steps:

• 1. Sort, wash, and cook lentils according to package directions. They do not require soaking. They are usually done in 40-45 minutes. Halfway through cooking, stir in the chopped ham (or other meat).
• 2. While lentils are cooking, sauté garlic, onion, celery, and carrot in the olive oil, over medium-low heat, until soft. Set aside.
• 3. When lentils are done, drain and reserve liquid. Stir tomato paste into 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid until smooth. Add this mixture, along with the sautéed vegetables, to the lentils and ham, and combine well. This is just to moisten the lentils so they are not dry, but not to make soup. If more liquid is needed, add in a little at a time until a rich stew is achieved. Bring to a boil and heat through to serving temperature.
• 4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adding Liquid Smoke seasoning enhances the ham flavor. Liquid Smoke is a vegan product and can be used to flavor the vegetarian version of this recipe.
• 5. To make in your Crock Pot: ~ Sort and wash lentils, and place them in a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Sauté the vegetables in the oil as in step 2, and add them to the slow cooker. Top with the ham. ~ Stir the tomato paste into 1/2 cup water, then add that to the slow cooker. Cover with fresh water to 3" above the level of the ingredients. ~ Cook on low power 3-4 hours (high, 2 hours). Check water level and add more if needed, as the lentils absorb the liquid. ~ When lentils are done, season with salt, pepper, and Liquid Smoke.