Serves 10 to 12

With this very homely soup which I do make often I have added smoked paprika and chorizo so I have taken the liberty of calling it Spanish.

INGREDIENTS
1 large bacon or ham hock
4 litres water
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
1 onion, quartered, 1st measure
1 large carrot, chopped, 1st measure
30ml olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, 2nd measure
1 teaspoon Spanish sweet smoked paprika
3 carrots, peeled and chopped, 2nd measure
2 chorizo sausages
2 large potatoes, preferably Agria, peeled and chopped
2 x 400g tins butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon sugar
100g rainbow chard or silver beet, to include stalks and leaves, sliced
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar


METHOD
Place hock, water, bay leaf, thyme, 1st measure onion and 1st measure carrot into a large pot set over a high heat. Place a lid on pot and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and with lid slightly ajar simmer for two hours or until meat is tender. Remove hock and cool. Retain cooking liquid {stock} and cool.

Refrigerate stock for an hour or overnight and then scrape off any fat that is sitting on top.

Pour oil into a heavy-based pot set over a medium and add 2nd measure onion with paprika. Cook while stirring until onion is soft but not browned.

Add reserved stock, carrots, whole chorizo and potatoes. Place a lid slightly ajar on pot and simmer until potatoes are almost cooked.

Remove meat from hock, discard skin and bones, and cut or shred meat into pieces.

Remove chorizo and when cool enough to handle slice chorizo. Place meat, chorizo and butter beans and sugar into pot. Bring back to the boil and then add rainbow chard. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until chard is tender.

Add vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.