I gave up pork products for about 5 years of my life after dating a long haired, conservative Jewish Rock-n-Roller in college. I finally came to my senses one morning while trying to recover from a monster sized hangover. I had consumed what might have been a liter of Vodka disguised in several extra dirty martinis. The handful of advil, extra large diet fountain soda and stale english muffin just weren't doing the trick. While at brunch, watching my girlfriends consume their giant dishes of greasy, salty, pork products, I too wanted to fill my belly with whatever would make me feel better. It was that day that the love affair began......bacon, pancetta, prosciutto, whatever! Hangover cure and culinary staple.
A photo and recipe caught my eye today while browsing around on Project Foodie and had to share. It comes from the book Ham: an Obsession with the Hindquarter, available here :
Ham, Pears, and Parmigiano-Reggiano:
makes about 12 appatizer size pieces
The best bruschetta is made with slightly stale, crunchy bread. Cut 12 slices off a large baguette or Italian bread, then leave them out on the counter all day. Once they're a little stale, they'll accept the garlic rub without tearing and will also have better tooth when toasted.
• 3 ounzes dry-cured ham (I will be using Prosciutto or Serrano from Jimmy's Food Store)
• Twelve somewhat stale, 1/2-inch-thick slices French or Italian bread
• 2 medium garlic cloves, each halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup toasted almond, walnut, or pecan oil
• 2 ripe Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced
• 3 ounces prosciutto crudo or, thinly sliced and then cut into 12 small pieces, each about 1/4 ounce
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved into thin strips with a vegetable peeler
• 6 tablespoons honey
1. Set the rack in the oven so that it's 4 to 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler
2. Rub one side of each bread slice with the cut side of one of the garlic cloves. Don't press down and tear the bread; rather, lightly rub the garlic onto the bread so that its oils get into the crumb. You'll notice that the garlic slivers begin to wear down as you rub them on the bread, so use a new one when each gets a little long in the tooth.
3. Drizzle the garlicky side of each bread slice with 1 teaspoon oil.
4. Lay the slices, oil side up, on a large baking sheet or the broiler rack. Toast under the broiler until lightly brown and crunchy, 2 or 3 minutes.
5. Remove the baking sheet or broiler tray from the broiler. Place a few pear slices on each piece of bread; top with a prosciutto slice, draping it over the fruit. Sprinkle some shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano over each piece, then drizzle each bread slice with 1 1/2 teaspoons honey.
6. Optional. Return the sheet or tray to the broiler and continue broiling just until the cheese melts, no more than 1 minute. Don't let the cheese brown-just let it soften and run a bit. Remove the tray or sheet from the oven and transfer the bruschette to a wire rack to cool for a minute or so (if you leave them on the tray or sheet, they can get soft and gummy from condensing steam underneath).
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I can't recommend it more! Thanks so much for posting about the book. And from Dallas, my hometown! (Although I, too, am mostly in a New York state of mind.)
ReplyDeleteMark - Thank you thank you for writing an amazing book for all of us "Hind" lovers and Thank you for stopping by my blog. Please do let me know when you are in Dallas next. Some great food happening in Big D these days, especially Oak Cliff. Take Care.
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