It is possible that you still have some leftover ham from the holidays. We did, and we therefore decided to use it in at least three different ways, giving the new dishes a special ham taste. We spaced serving them over two weeks, to avoid having too much of a good thing. Note that ham also spoils and therefore must be kept in the freezer.
We sliced the remaining ham and portioned it. This way, the big chunk will not be brought in and out of the freezer, making it susceptible to dangerous food bacteria.
Pasta with Ham and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
200 gms pasta (spaghetti or penne, cooked al dente, drain, set aside)
One third cup pure olive oil
Half a head of native garlic, crushed
100 gms button mushrooms, each sliced into four (do not throw away the liquid)
100 gms ham, sliced into small cubes
50 gms pitted black olives (you can use the pre-sliced in bottle)
1 tablespoon pesto with sundried tomatoes (available in bottles at supermarkets)
2 tablespoons milk
Procedure:
Heat the olive oil, brown the garlic, then add the mushrooms.
Put the ham in and mix well, let simmer.
Add the olives, then the pesto with sundried tomatoes, mix well.
Add the pasta and half of the mushroom liquid. You might want to add more olive oil. Mix well and allow to cook for a while.
Before taking it off the stove, add the milk, then over very low fire, cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.
Serve with the usual parmesan cheese.
An Unusual Pochero
A different take on pochero, which does away with the traditional main ingredient – beef, pork or chicken – but is cooked totally with leftover ham, spiced by chorizo Bilbao and Spanish paprika. One dinner time, our assistant served pochero. As the dinner progressed, we dug into the serving platter, looking for some pieces of chicken. There was none. Our assistant Tess volunteered the info that she only used the leftover ham, no other meat. The dish came out very flavorful. By using ham, she avoided the tedious process of tenderizing the meat. Great!
Ingredients:
250 gms ham, cut like steak, each piece about 1 cm thick
One chorizo Bilbao, sliced thinly on the diagonal
3 tablespoons olive oil
One native garlic, crushed
4 pieces large tomatoes, cut in wedges
1 medium size onion, cubed
110 gms tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
1 cube beef broth
Four carrots, sliced lengthwise
Half a small cabbage, separate leaves
20 gms Baguio beans
Procedure:
Heat olive oil.
Saute garlic, onion and tomatoes.
Add chorizo Bilbao, mix well, then add the ham, tomato sauce and paprika.
In a separate casserole, cook the vegetables in the beef broth.
Add the vegetables, without the liquid, to the ham mixture and let boil.
Arrange on a serving platter.
You may add fideos noodles to the broth for the soup.
Beef Nilaga with Ham Bones
We guess every housewife has done this. But leave some flesh on the bones for a more substantial dish. You may choose to add corn on the cob or the usual potatoes.
Have a delicious left-over meal!
E-mail comments and questions to ldcastillo327@yahoo.com.ph.