Starters orders: Soup and brown bread recipes from The Old Spot for your Christmas feast

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and a pinch of salt to help release the onion’s juices. Cover with a lid and sweat for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the celeriac, cover with a piece of parchment or greaseproof paper pushed down at the edges to fit snugly as a cartouche and reduce the heat to medium-low. There is no need to cover the pan with a lid.

3. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the celeriac is soft. Remove the paper, add the stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat a little, add the cream and cook for a further 5 minutes.

4. Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf before blending and passing through a fine mesh sieve. Season with salt and white pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.

5. To serve, divide among four warmed bowls and shave black truffle all over (if using).

6. VARIATION: Roughly chop a handful of toasted hazelnuts and scatter these over.

7. DRINK PAIRING: A rich white wine with some savoury character but good acidity pairs well with the celeriac, maybe a rich Burgundian Chardonnay like Viré-Clessé André Bonhomme. 

Method

1. Put the ham hocks in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil until you see white scum float to the top, then strain. Repeat this process two more times, starting with fresh cold water each time.

2. Cover once more with fresh cold water and this time add the vegetables and aromatics. Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 3–4 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone. Strain and reserve the cooking liquor (see the chef’s tip).

3. Allow the hocks to cool before picking the meat, removing any sinew or fatty bits. Two ham hocks should give you up to 1kg of meat, which can be used in various dishes. The picked meat will freeze well when moistened with a splash of the cooking liquid and sealed.

4. To make the soup, melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. When the butter starts to foam, add the bacon, shallots, leek and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallots are softened and turning translucent but are not coloured.

5. Add the ham stock and bring to a simmer. Add 900g of the peas (reserve the remaining 100g for a garnish by setting aside to allow them to defrost) and blend the soup immediately. Pass through a fine mesh sieve into a very cold bowl or deep tray to cool it quickly (see the chef’s tip).

6. When ready to serve, combine the cooked, shredded ham hock with the reserved peas and warm gently. We do this in a small heatproof dish under a hot grill, but you could do it in a saucepan.

7. Slowly bring the soup up to a simmer, taking care not to boil it. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among four warm bowls and garnish with the warm ham hock and the reserved peas.

8. CHEF’S TIP: The cooking liquid from your ham hocks freezes well and can be used to flavour and thicken soups, stews and sauces. Consider freezing some of it as ice cubes, then pop the frozen cubes into a freezerproof bag so that the stock can be added in smaller quantities.

9. CHEF’S TIP: The keys to preserving the vibrant green colour of frozen peas in a soup or purée are to cook them for as short a period as possible and to cool them down fast by passing the peas into an ice-cold container. One handy hack is to put a mixing bowl or tray in the freezer for 30 minutes or fill it with iced, salted water to cool it right down.

10. DRINK PAIRING: An aromatic Sauvignon Blanc with green vegetal notes would chime well with the peas, or a saline Albariño to pair with the ham, or the unique Dafni Psarades from Lyrarakis in Crete with its distinctive bay leaf notes.

Method

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-based pot over a medium-low heat. When the butter starts to foam, add the onions and herbs with a pinch of salt to help release the juices.

2. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat a little and sweat gently for 35–40 minutes without colouring, stirring occasionally to ensure the onions don’t catch.

3. Take your time with the onions, cooking them slowly and gently and making sure they don’t colour. You want them to be as soft and sweet as possible, so be patient.

4. Add the chicken stock and reduce by a quarter, then add the cream and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf before blending until silky smooth and passing through a fine mesh sieve. Season to taste with salt and ground white pepper.

5. To serve, divide among warm bowls.

6. DRINK PAIRING: Consider a rich New World Chardonnay made in a Burgundy style, like the wild ferment Kumeu River Chardonnay from Auckland, New Zealand.