Grapefruit and coconut chicken salad

Another great spring day - Summer is just around the corner! Here we are like busy bees in the garden: we started the herb patch, strawberry flowers are turning into small fruits, the raspberry plants are reviving and the earth of the veggie patch ready to get new seedlings. We already sow cucumber, zucchini, sweet basil, and lettuce in trays. Every day No.1 water his tray of veggies. I really enjoy watching him so excited about the sowing/growing vegetable process.
And you know what? while we were digging the ground, my little paleontologist even found a dinosaur bone. Yes a real one! He said that it would probably be a T-Rex arm. I did not make a picture so I was overwhelmed by the little stars in his eyes... love...

The garden kept us so busy all week end that I had very little time left for the kitchen. After a busy week end in the garden, nothing much was available in the pantry or the fridge. Leftovers of roast chicken, some grapefruits kindly given by a colleague - thanks! - and a need for raw veggies, all in a fresh mix that would suit an 11 month-old. Half an hour later we were all enjoying a fresh grapefruit and coconut chicken salad!

Lentil and ham hock spring salad

What a wonderful spring week we had! This has tickled my taste for salads. But my pantry is still full of winter-ish food like lentils and ham hocks. And veggies like capsicum and tomatoes are not exactly of season yet, so still a bit expensive.

Not a problem, lentils and ham hock gives you a nice end of Winter - early spring salad dinner, and you just need a little bit of capsicum and tomato.
In my native region in France, Alsace, we often eat cured meat like ham hocks (although we don't use this cut of the pork, but rather fillets, belly and shoulder). I love them, they are so flavoursome and require very little preparation as they just need to be boiled up. With a dash of mustard or horseradish, this kind of meat, warn or cold, is delightful! Here in NZ, ham hocks are what you can find at the butchery, although it is very tasty, it has not as much meat as on another cut like fillet or shoulder. And you better don't eat all the ham hock skin and fat, otherwise it is not as healthy - it's just a matter of being reasonable!

And the best? If you have lentil leftovers or cans, then it will take you less than 30 mins to make this nice meal for your family. Enjoy your spare time in spring!

Ingredients (6 servings)

- 2 ham hocks
- 600 g brown lentils, cooked, cold (dry or can)
- 1 large red capsicum
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 shallot
- 1 or 2 tbsp grainy mustard (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
- greens
- salt, white pepper

Preparation (30 mins)

1. Wash the ham hocks under cold water. Then put them in a large pot, cover with water and bring to the boil for 10 mins in order to wash all the impurities.
2. Dice the tomatoes, chop the onion and the capsicum. Mix with the lentils.
3. To make the dressing, mix together the mustard and the oil. Then add the vinegar. If the dressing is a bit too vinegary to your taste, then add a dash of water, but not more oil. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in the salad. You can either this salad on the top of some green leaves or mix them in.
4. Carve thin slices of ham hock to serve with the salad. Or if you prefer dice the ham hocks and mix in the salad.

Bon appetit!