This week's recipes can be combined to make a wonderful springtime brunch, lunch or dinner. The ham loaf recipe (created by Pierre Franey) was torn out of a newspaper a number of years ago. When we decided to try it, we went with Chef Franey's suggestion to serve the loaf with either sweet relish or chutney. The combination of flavors didn't appeal to us, so we then tried a number of things, including salsa. We really liked the ham loaf, but struggled to find something that complemented the flavors without overwhelming them. After several experiments, we finally came up with the herb sauce which we think is a perfect accompaniment (it also has a beautiful pale green color). Both the ham loaf and the sauce can be made ahead and will keep, refrigerated, for several days.
The risotto is not only delicious, but is a visually appealing dish that was passed along to us by Suzanne and Garland Marshall. Suzanne's parents, the Russells, have developed this recipe into part of the meal-time entertainment. After we made it the first time, we decided that the amount of stirring involved is similar to any recipe that begins with "first you make a roux". The variations on this recipe are endless, we've only mentioned a few. If you are serving the risotto as a main dish, it is also wonderful with the addition of crumbled bacon or slivers of ham. Experiment! It's well worth the effort.
Ingredients:
Lightly grease loaf pan (9 x 5 x 2 1/2). Preheat oven to 425°. Cut ham into large cubes and place in food processor with steel blade. Process to medium-coarse and set aside. In large skillet, melt butter. Add onion and saute over low heat until transparent. Add celery and mushrooms and saute additional 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Cook 3 minutes and remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.
In large bowl, combine ham, bread crumbs, eggs, chopped nuts, sour cream, seasonings, and vegetable mixture. Place mixture in loaf pan, pack well and smooth the top. Bake for 40 minutes; let stand 20 minutes before removing from pan. Run a knife around the edges of the pan, place platter on top of pan and invert. Lightly tap the bottom of the loaf pan to release the loaf. Serve warm or cold. 6 servings.
Ingredients:
Drain yogurt in cheesecloth (or yogurt strainer) for 2 hours. Place chopped spinach in small saucepan with 1/8 cup of water. Bring to a boil and allow leaves to wilt. Immediately rinse in cold water, drain spinach and squeeze out liquid. Place spinach in food processor with steel blade and process until finely chopped. Process dill and parsley until finely chopped. Combine yogurt, sour cream, spinach and herbs in a medium-sized bowl. Add lemon juice and season to taste. Refrigerate. Will keep up to 4 days. Makes 2 cups.
Ingredients:
Options: toasted pine nuts, fresh asparagus cut into 1/3" pieces, slivered red and yellow peppers, finely chopped mushrooms, slivers of fresh spinach, green peppercorns
Place chopped onion and 2 TBS olive oil in a heavy saucepan and saute over low heat until soft. Add rice and thoroughly coat with olive oil (adding more if necessary). Add one cup of white wine and stir. Stirring constantly, add the heated chicken broth one ladle at a time, stirring each time until the liquid is absorbed. At the end of twenty minutes, taste rice (it should retain some texture). If required, continue cooking (and adding chicken broth) until desired texture is reached. Stir in grated cheese, to reach a creamy consistency. Add your choice of the options listed. Stir to incorporate and serve immediately. 6 servings.
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