Ham hock and split green pea salad

Serves 4

Split green peas are one of those under-used winter pulses (Jason Lowe)

Split green peas are one of those under-used winter pulses. I suppose one of the reasons is that people are not doing so much slow cooking these days and therefore the demand is low – but they are one of my absolute favourite store-cupboard must-haves.

Make sure, however, that you soak the peas overnight, as they can be toxic otherwise.

The pieces of ham hock from the previous soup recipe
A few small salad leaves or wild herbs

For the dressing

100g split green peas, soaked overnight in cold water
1 large shallot, peeled, halved and finely chopped
2-3tsp English mustard
1tbsp cider vinegar
3-4tbsp extra-virgin rapeseed oil, plus a little extra
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
A small handful of wild salad leaves such as bittercress, chickweed, wood sorrel

Drain and rinse the split peas, and place in a pan of lightly salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until just tender; then drain.

Once the peas are cool, mix them in a bowl with the mustard and vinegar, then mix in enough rapeseed oil to make a thick dressing. Season, and add more mustard and vinegar to taste.

To serve, spoon some of the peas on to serving plates and spread out a little with the back of the spoon.

Cut or break the ham hock into smallish chunks and arrange on the peas with some of the salad leaves, then spoon over and around more of the dressed split peas.