The Ham Diary: America Held Hostage

Eternity is two people and a ham.

--Ancient culinary wisdom

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It’s true, there’s an awful lot of ham on a hambone. After you’ve made ham and eggs and fried up ham steaks with pineapple slices and eaten your fill of ham sandwiches, it can start to look as if that pink beast will be in your refrigerator forever.

But it would be a sin to throw it away, so you’re stuck. Like many another, particularly after Easter, you’re a prisoner of ham.

We’re here to help. Let us walk you through a week’s worth of ham dishes.

Of course, you don’t need leftovers to make most of these recipes. Butchers often package up hambones and ham trimmings. If you use trimmings, remember to buy a little more than the recipe calls for because you may have to discard a certain amount of skin and fat.

DAY ZERO

Sour Cherry Glazed Baked Ham

Ham likes many kinds of fruit. Here’s an alternative to more familiar partners, such as pineapple and raisins, from Times Test Kitchen Director Donna Deane. You can find dried sour cherries in the dried fruit section of many markets.

SOUR CHERRY GLAZED BAKED HAM

HAM

1 (7- to 8-pound) ham

8 to 12 whole cloves

Trim excess fat from ham. Score top and sides of ham in diamond pattern and stick whole clove into center of each diamond. Bake ham at 325 degrees 12 minutes per pound. Brush with Cherry Glaze and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer, basting every 10 minutes.

CHERRY GLAZE

3/4 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup cherry brandy

1/2 cup dried sour cherries

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine wine, brandy, cherries, orange peel, garlic, brown sugar, granulated sugar, Dijon mustard and dry mustard in medium saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes before using.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

476 calories; 3,707 mg sodium; 110 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 55 grams protein; 0.40 grams fiber.

DAY ONE

Ham Hash

It’s strange that ham is rarely made into hash, because it’s a preserved meat, just like corned beef. Since it’s not spiced, though, I found that it needs a little something extra, such as bell peppers, which also add some of the sweetness that ham finds flattering.

HAM HASH

1 onion, diced

1 cup diced red bell pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups diced ham

2 cups diced boiled potato

2 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Pepper

Parsley

4 poached eggs, optional

Cook onion and bell pepper in butter until onion is golden. Stir in ham and potato, pat down with spatula, sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce and cook without stirring over low heat, uncovered, until bottom is golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Using 2 spatulas, turn hash over as neatly as possible and fry until other side is golden, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Sprinkle with pepper and garnish with parsley and optional eggs.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each serving, without eggs, contains about:

246 calories; 1,006 mg sodium; 53 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.49 gram fiber.

DAY TWO

Scalloped Ham With Mushrooms and Cheese

Scalloping is a traditional way of using leftovers for a family weekday dinner. This recipe comes from Jane Grigson’s “The Mushroom Feast” (Penguin Books, 1975).

SCALLOPED HAM WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHEESE

BECHAMEL SAUCE

2 tablespoons minced onion

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 cup hot chicken stock

1 cup hot milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 sprig fresh thyme or pinch dried thyme

1/4 bay leaf

Nutmeg

Cook onion in butter over medium heat until onion softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to mix well. Cook, stirring, until flour begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add stock and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add milk and cook until thick, another 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes. Add nutmeg to taste.

HAM AND MUSHROOMS

1/4 cup butter

3 shallots, chopped, or 3 tablespoons chopped onion

6 ounces mushrooms, quartered

3/4 pound cooked ham, diced

2 tablespoons grated Gruyere or Cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon bread crumbs

Extra butter

Melt butter and cook shallots over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add mushrooms, cover and cook until mushrooms give up their liquid, about 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs, if used, from Bechamel Sauce and add Bechamel Sauce and ham to mushrooms. Dish can be prepared in advance to this point.

Divide mushroom mixture among 4 deep scallop shells or gratin dishes. Mix cheese and bread crumbs and scatter evenly over ham mixture. Dot with butter, and put under broiler or bake at 450 degrees until brown and bubbling, about 5 minutes under broiler, 10 minutes in oven.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

417 calories; 2,004 mg sodium; 111 mg cholesterol; 30 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 23 grams protein; 0.42 gram fiber.

DAY THREE

Ham Croquettes

Croquetas de jamon, a traditional Cuban snack, are particularly irresistible with a squeeze of lime juice. This recipe comes from Norma de la Cal, who was featured recently as one of The Times Food Section’s Great Home Cooks.

CUBAN HAM CROQUETTES (Croquetas de Jamon)

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons minced onion

3/4 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons dry white wine

2 cups ground ham

2 eggs

Water

2 cups bread crumbs

Oil

3 to 4 limes

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium-low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir to combine; mixture will be dry. Add milk and whisk smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, wine and ham; mix well. Cool to room temperature.

Beat eggs with 1 tablespoon water and set aside. Spread bread crumbs in shallow pie plate. Measure 1 level tablespoon ham mixture and shape into sausage shape. Roll in bread crumbs, dip in egg, then roll again in bread crumbs. Place on wax paper to dry. Repeat with rest of ham mixture.

When all croquettes are formed, fry in about 1 inch of oil heated to 350 degrees until browned, turning once, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve at room temperature with squeeze of lime.

Makes about 2 dozen croquettes.

Each croquette contains about:

79 calories; 272 mg sodium; 28 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.03 gram fiber.

DAY FOUR

Ham and Cheese Souffle

This classic souffle would be welcome either at breakfast or as a light but elegant lunch or dinner.

HAM AND CHEESE SOUFFLE

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk, warmed

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

3/4 cup diced ham

3 eggs, separated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add warmed milk and whisk smooth. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 5 minutes longer. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add ham and stir to combine.

Beat egg yolks lightly, then stir small amount of hot mixture into yolks to temper. Stir yolk mixture back into pan and cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Beat egg whites until firm. Stir 1/3 of whites into cooled mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites. Place mixture in greased 1-quart souffle dish and bake at 350 degrees until puffed and brown, 35 to 45 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

271 calories; 828 mg sodium; 212 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 16 grams protein; 0.01 gram fiber.

DAY FIVE

Horseradish Ham Spread on Garlic Rye Toast

It’s Friday and you’re entertaining again. Deane, The Times Test Kitchen director, has devised an addictive ham spread for toast that would also be good in sandwiches.

HORSERADISH HAM SPREAD ON GARLIC RYE TOAST

HAM DIP

2 cups cubed ham

1 (8-ounce) carton whipped cream cheese

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

Process ham in food processor until finely minced. Add cream cheese and process until smooth. Add horseradish, then milk in thin stream with processor running. Fold in 2 tablespoons minced sage. Chill until serving time.

GARLIC RYE TOAST

2 tablespoons softened butter

2 tablespoons minced garlic

8 slices rye bread

Minced fresh sage

Blend together butter and garlic. Spread on bread. Cut each slice bread crosswise into 4 slices. Toast in 400-degree oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Spread Ham Dip on bread toasts. Sprinkle minced sage over top of each.

Makes 32 appetizers.

Each appetizer contains about:

59 calories; 175 mg sodium; 13 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.05 gram fiber.

DAY SIX

Ham Biscuits

By now, you should have invested in a chicken, but you’ll still need something to go with it. This recipe comes from “The Taste of Country Cooking” by Edna Lewis (Knopf, 1994). “Ham biscuits were usually served at ballgames and suppers,” Lewis remembers, “and always at Sunday Revival.”

HAM BISCUITS

3 cups sifted flour

1 scant teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup lard

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 cup finely minced ham

Additional flour

To make nice straight-sided biscuits, dust the biscuit cutter with flour often to keep dough from sticking to it and cut straight down without wiggling (when the biscuit has been cut, pull the cutter out sharply). Always cut biscuits as closely as possible from the dough, because re-rolled scraps will not make light biscuits. Use a thick, heavy baking pan to keep biscuits from over-browning on the bottom.

If you use sweet milk instead of buttermilk, omit the baking soda and reduce the quantity of milk by 2 tablespoons.

Sift flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder into large bowl. Mix in lard with pastry blender or fingertips until flour has mealy texture. Stir buttermilk vigorously into flour with wooden spoon. Add ham and stir until dough stiffens, 2 or 3 minutes. Continue stirring few minutes longer.

Scrape dough from sides of bowl, form into ball and transfer onto lightly floured work surface. Dust lightly with about 1 tablespoon flour. Gently flatten dough with hands into thick, round cake. Knead 1 minute by folding outer edge of dough into center, giving light knead to dough as each edge overlap others. Turn folded side face down and dust lightly with flour, if needed; do not over-flour or biscuits will be stiff.

Dust rolling pin and rolling surface well. Roll dough out evenly 1/2-inch thick or slightly less. Prick dough 1/2 way through with tines of table fork.

Place biscuits 1/2 inch or more apart on heavy baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees until brown and puffed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 3 to 4 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes about 18 biscuits.

Each biscuit contains about:

154 calories; 339 mg sodium; 11 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.06 gram fiber.

DAY SEVEN

Ham and Bean Soup

Thus does every great ham end: in the soup pot. This recipe comes from confessed bean-lover and cook in The Times Test Kitchen, Mayi Brady.

HAM BONE SOUP

1 tablespoon butter

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chopped carrots

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

1 hambone

1 cup dried white beans

2 quarts chicken stock

Freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in large soup pot. Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery; cook over medium heat until vegetables are wilted, 8 to 10 minutes. Add thyme, hambone, white beans, chicken stock and pepper to taste. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until vegetables and beans are very tender and soup has begun to thicken, about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove bone to plate. When bone is cool enough to handle, cut all meat from it. Dice meat and return to pot. Cook soup until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Correct seasonings and serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of 4 servings contains about:

350 calories; 2,063 mg sodium; 23 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 29 grams protein; 3.90 grams fiber.