We purchased a ham for the holidays, I am not sure why as we struggle (every year) to get through it all before we are heartily sick of it! We are not huge meat eaters in this house but I think my rationale for buying said ham was so we had something quick and easy in the fridge during the holiday break if we had unexpected friends or family drop in to visit.
It was a nice ham but having it for nearly every meal and every sandwich for 2 weeks it was really time to call it a day and use what was left for a big main dish - and I fancied a risotto.
A search through all my books and files produced little, interestingly I could not find a single recipe using up ham in this way. Rather than Google for inspiration I decided to experiment and produced a simple dish that used all the chunks of ham I cut off the bone. (I boiled the bones with the remaining meat to freeze for Pea and Ham soup at a later date).
You could use this basic recipe for any sort of risotto, chicken (left overs again?) and/or mushroom and by using summer and spring vegetables such as zucchini, carrots or even pumpkin. The most important part is to use a good risotto rice - I use Arborio. You can easily buy it from a good supermarket or from a speciality store. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arborio_rice
It is also important to use a good lightly seasoned stock (not the powdered stuff) - vegetable or chicken. Here I used homemade chicken stock (not my ham stock - might make the dish too salty). Have it simmering on the cook top in a large pot, use a ladle and add the stock to the dish as it is absorbed by the rice. With my ham I did not need to add extra seasoning but if using other meat or vegetables check for flavour and add salt and pepper as desired.
This is not a dish you set on the stove and walk away and leave, you have to lovingly watch its progress and add the stock as needed.
Ham and Pea Risotto (serves 2-4 people depending on your serving size)
1 onion - finely chopped
a little vegetable oil
Chopped ham
1 cup of Arborio rice - rinsed until cold water (use more rice if feeding more)
1 cup of frozen peas (add a little more if wanting a larger dish)
2 - 5 cups of chicken stock
In a large frying pan or large wide shallow pot ( my one is called a 'cooking kettle'), lightly cook the onion until translucent.
Add the rice and 1 cup of stock, stir and simmer gently until absorbed - add another ladle of stock.
Continue in this way for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Add the ham and peas towards the end of the cooking to heat through.
Serve while nice and warm.
It was a nice ham but having it for nearly every meal and every sandwich for 2 weeks it was really time to call it a day and use what was left for a big main dish - and I fancied a risotto.
A search through all my books and files produced little, interestingly I could not find a single recipe using up ham in this way. Rather than Google for inspiration I decided to experiment and produced a simple dish that used all the chunks of ham I cut off the bone. (I boiled the bones with the remaining meat to freeze for Pea and Ham soup at a later date).
You could use this basic recipe for any sort of risotto, chicken (left overs again?) and/or mushroom and by using summer and spring vegetables such as zucchini, carrots or even pumpkin. The most important part is to use a good risotto rice - I use Arborio. You can easily buy it from a good supermarket or from a speciality store. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arborio_rice
It is also important to use a good lightly seasoned stock (not the powdered stuff) - vegetable or chicken. Here I used homemade chicken stock (not my ham stock - might make the dish too salty). Have it simmering on the cook top in a large pot, use a ladle and add the stock to the dish as it is absorbed by the rice. With my ham I did not need to add extra seasoning but if using other meat or vegetables check for flavour and add salt and pepper as desired.
This is not a dish you set on the stove and walk away and leave, you have to lovingly watch its progress and add the stock as needed.
 |
| apologies for date in photo - now removed from my camera! |
1 onion - finely chopped
a little vegetable oil
Chopped ham
1 cup of Arborio rice - rinsed until cold water (use more rice if feeding more)
1 cup of frozen peas (add a little more if wanting a larger dish)
2 - 5 cups of chicken stock
In a large frying pan or large wide shallow pot ( my one is called a 'cooking kettle'), lightly cook the onion until translucent.
Add the rice and 1 cup of stock, stir and simmer gently until absorbed - add another ladle of stock.
Continue in this way for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
Add the ham and peas towards the end of the cooking to heat through.
Serve while nice and warm.
 |
| Humble but delicious on a wet Sunday night. |
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