Creamy pea and ham soup with cider

Method

1. Pour the apple juice and cider into a large saucepan. Tip in the leek, celery and bay leaf.

2. Put in the gammon and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 hour, or until the gammon is tender. Remove the ham and keep warm.

3. Add the peas to the stock and cook for 20 minutes.

4. Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to a blender and whiz until smooth.

5. Slice the gammon into small pieces and the meat and double cream to the soup. Season with black pepper.

6. Heat a frying pan and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon, retaining the bacon fat in the pan.

7. Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pan and fry the apples until brown.

8. Serve the soup in bowls, topped with a couple of apple slices and the crisp-fried bacon, and drizzled with a little extra cream.