5 hearty ways to use leftover ham

If you've got some extra ham leftover from last night's dinner, transform it into these hearty new recipes.

You can use leftover ham to make sandwiches but there are endless other uses for this tasty remnant. Here are a few ideas.

1. For a smoky aroma in cooked greens, simmer two smoked ham hocks in water for three hours. Strain the liquid and discard the ham hocks. Let the broth cool, then chill, so that the fat solidifies on top. Remove and discard the fat. Cook greens such as collards in the liquid until very tender, about one hour. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to kick it up a bit.
2. To make a delicious broth for pea or bean soups, put one meaty ham bone in a large pot and add cold water to generously cover (about 3.5 litres/12 cups). Add 12 whole cloves and bring to a boil. Partly cover and simmer gently until the joint falls apart and the meat is very tender, three to four hours. Place a colander over a large bowl and strain the broth into the bowl. When the bone is cool enough to handle, remove the meat and discard the bone. Let the broth cool, then chill, so that the fat solidifies on top. Remove and discard the fat. Freeze the broth for up to six months and use as the base for soup.
3. To give potatoes, beans or rice dishes a shot of smoky flavour, add chopped smoked ham.
4. For a healthier alternative to bacon, use smoked ham.
5. To enrich a lentil soup, add chopped ham. First sauté 250 millilitres (one cup) chopped onion, one chopped carrot and one chopped celery stalk in 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) olive oil until tender. Add to a pot along with:

• 100 ml (1/2 c) chopped skinless smoked ham
• 1.5 L (6 c) chicken or vegetable broth
• 350 ml (1 1/4 cups) sorted and rinsed lentils
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) dried rosemary
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) dried thyme
• 1 bay leafWhat to do:
• Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.
• Stir in one chopped roasted red pepper, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) tomato paste, two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) salt and 0.5 millilitres (1/8 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper.
• Remove the bay leaf before serving.

• To pull together a succotash salad from pantry ingredients, combine 500 millilitres (two cups) corn kernels, 500 millilitres (two cups) lima beans, 500 millilitres (two cups) chopped ham and 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) chopped sweet pickles.
• Dress with a mixture of 75 millilitres (1/3 cup) olive oil, 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) apple cider vinegar, 45 millilitres (three tablespoons) honey, 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) Dijon mustard, two millilitres (1/2teaspoon) salt and one millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper.

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