White Beans and Ham

I remember my mother making white beans and ham anytime there was a leftover ham hock from a holiday meal. That soup had a stick-to-your-ribs level of heartiness that has remained unmatched, in my eyes, to this day. She’d simmer a pot of Great Northern white beans with the ham hock until the beans had gotten all creamy and thick; little bits of ham dotted throughout. She’d serve it with cornbread and we’d all gobble it down. My dad recently lamented (7 years post-divorce) that he still hadn’t been able to get it replicated in his own kitchen.

I will admit that it may be an acquired taste for some. It literally consisted of nothing besides a ham hock, beans, salt and water. While I appreciate the simplicity of the dish – and no one can deny how filling and economical it was for feeding a family of 5 on a budget – I wanted to add some more vegetables into my version. I’m trying to limit my meat consumption as much as possible while adding in as many vegetables as I can, in an effort to finally meet those 5 or more servings per day recommendations. Plus, adding a mirepoix isn’t that expensive and adds a ton of flavor and nutrients into the finished soup.

I had a ham hock left over from Christmas dinner, from the ham I bought from Copper Penny Farm. It was a beauteous thing, marbled with fat and loaded with flavor. It’s easy to forget how delicious ham is when it comes from a pig that’s raised properly and isn’t one of those commercially hybridized, Smithfield-patented abominations with a 2% fat content. Seriously, check out LocalHarvest.org and find where you can get a locally grown ham for your next holiday meal. It’s worth it.

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Ham and Sweet Potato Hash with Over-Easy Eggs and Pea Shoots

I had another lovely ham steak from Copper Penny Farm languishing in my freezer and couldn’t decide what to do with it. I had the sudden epiphany that it would be great with sweet potato the other day while planning my weekly dinner menu, and found this recipe over at Epicurious. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but it was close enough to get me started.

I was happy at how quickly this came together – from start to eating within 30 minutes – which makes it perfect for a weekend brunch item. Use a nice heavy bottom skillet for this to get a nice brown on the sweet potatoes while they’re cooking on their own – just make sure you have a lid that more or less fits to get the steaming action you need to cook them through.

Also, if you can’t find baby pea shoots, feel free to substitute any other delicate greenery like watercress, mâche, or arugula. And take it easy on the salt on this dish – between the salty ham and the salted butter I used I didn’t feel the need for any additional seasoning at all.

Ham and Sweet Potato Hash with Over-Easy Eggs and Baby Pea Shoots

Yields about 4 servings

2 tablespoons butter

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes (about 2 cups)

½ yellow onion, chopped

1 lb ham steak, cubed

2 cups baby pea shoots

4 eggs, cooked over easy

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and add the sweet potatoes. Toss to coat and then cover with a lid, cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. When the sweet potato is almost done add the onions and ham and cook for a further 3-4 minutes – until onion is translucent and ham is heated through. Add the baby pea shoots and wilt. Divide into four portions and serve immediately with over-easy eggs on top.

Farro and Lentils with Braised Greens and Bacon

In my quest to eat more consciously – both for myself and for the environment – I’ve attempted to relegate meat to a mere seasoning in most dishes, rather than a main component. Moving a bit down the food chain is both good for health and exerts less stress on the planet.

That does not, however, mean that food must be tasteless and bland. Just as many people recommend buying more expensive, flavorful cheeses and using them in moderation rather than using copious amounts of the near tasteless cheap stuff, such is the case with meals like this. Most people can agree that bacon is the wunderkind of meats – if it can turn hardcore veggies back to meat, it’s good in my book.

Here I’ve taken farro (or wheat berries, depending on where you live) and French green lentils and topped them with braised mustard and turnip greens, bacon, and mushrooms. It takes some nutritional powerhouses and gussies them up with the luscious fattiness we crave. I’m almost positive that my heart won’t take issue with the bacon fat once it realizes it’s coating super-healthy greens…right?

Even for those who aren’t fans of greens in general (which is a travesty, FYI), this dish is sure to please with the big chunks of bacon and flavorful mushrooms. If you’re not too keen on the toothsome farro (much like my husband is not) just boil it for about 5 minutes before you add the lentils to the pot of salted water.

Farro and Lentils with Braised Greens and Bacon

½ cup farro

½ cup French green lentils (Lentils du Puy)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into chunks

16 oz chopped mustard and turnip greens, chopped into bite size pieces (in your produce section)

8 oz sliced mushrooms

Shaved Parmigiana Reggiano for garnish (optional)

Combine the farro, lentils, and garlic cloves in a pot and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on doneness desired.

Meanwhile, brown the bacon in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat until most of the fat is rendered. Add the greens and cook for a few minutes (you might have to add in batches to get them to fit). Cover the pan and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until done to taste.

Drain the farro and lentils, discarding the garlic cloves. Top with the greens and mushrooms and shave some cheese to garnish if desired.

 

Root Beer Glazed Ham

My family was never really one for making a big to-do about Easter, but we always had a ham. The rest of my family always slathered theirs with a raisin sauce, the recipe for which had been handed down through a few generations on my dad’s side. It was always far too sweet for me, so I abstained.

I appreciate the interplay of sweet and salt much more now, but that raisin sauce is still too much for my liking. The syrupy root beer for this glaze though, adds complexity and spice to the ham while imparting just enough sweetness to balance the saltiness.

As you can see above, it also works well on a sandwich with whole grain mustard and watercress.

Root Beer Glazed Ham

24 oz root beer

1 cinnamon stick

6 whole cloves

1 Niman Ranch petite ham

Bring  first 3 ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup. Spoon 1/3 of glaze over ham. Cook ham in 300⁰ oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes per lb. until internal temperature registers 135⁰F, spooning a tablespoon or two of glaze over ham every ½ hour until gone. Let ham rest 10 minutes, slice, serve.



Mustard Braised Corned Beef Brisket

I’ve only ever had corned beef brisket once before. It was sometime around St. Patrick’s Day a few years ago while living in Monterey, CA. We stopped into an Irish bar for dinner and I assumed it would be delicious – Irish bar, St. Paddy’s, corned beef – what could go wrong?

Well, aside from the rather delicious Guinness there weren’t too many redeeming qualities. It was tough, dry, and bland. A washed out pink-y color with a hint of shoe leather and a bouquet of meh.

I decided that this year I’d try making my own, even if I didn’t finally get around to it until the day after St. Paddy’s. While I was searching around the internets looking for methods of preparation I discovered that the cooking style of choice was boiling.

Boiling?

Who boils meat?

Poaching? Yes. Steaming? I suppose. Boiling? No, not so much.

I decided to take the middle of the road and slather the top of the brisket with some whole grain mustard and braise it real low and slow for a couple of hours. The result? Intensely flavorful, beautifully fragrant, fork tender brisket.

Yes, please.

Mustard Braised Corned Beef Brisket

3 lb. corned beef brisket (preferably Animal Welfare Approved)

1/3 cup whole grain mustard

Preheat oven to 300⁰F

Slather the fatty side of the brisket with the mustard. Place in a dutch oven with a tight fitting lid and cook for 2 ½ hours, or until the brisket is fork tender. Slice against the grain and serve.