HOTCH POTCH (A ONE POT MEAL )

Peel and slice 3 onions , chop 3 carrots , 1 whole cabbage finely sliced , chop 1 turnip and add these to your soup pot , along with 1 cup of peas and 8 florets of cauliflower . To the chopped veggies 1 placed a ham hock in the soup pot and added enough water to cover the vegetables and ham hock . I simmered the mix for 4 hours over a low heat adding more water as needed . The vegetables are now tender , I removed the pot from the heat , let it cool then place in the refrigerator overnight covered with the lid . This morning I removed the rind and bone/s from the ham hock , shredded the meat and it placed back in the pot . Now I added 4 tbs of basalmic vinegar to the pot and stirred through , along with 1 dsp of salt , 2 tbs of soft brown sugar , about 240gm of drained canned lentils , 8 whole peppercorns , 1/4 cup of dried and diced dates and finally 1 added a thick triangle of kent pumpkin cubed with skin on (optional)and enough water to just cover the contents . I now placed the now completed pot of hotch potch over a medium heat and simmered till the pumpkin was tender and giving and the flavours had developed . OMG ,this is wholesome and delicious .