Marinated Tuna and Vegetable Skewers

FATHER'S DAY GRILLING!

Father's Day Alert! Just in time for the celebration I have a new grilling favorite—Marinated Tuna and Vegetable Skewers. This entree is delicious served over cheese grits. Add an Asian salad of cold cucumber slices, green onions, halved cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas and iceberg lettuce (I use Makoto Ginger Dressing found in the refrigerator section at local grocery stores--garnish the salad with Wasabi flavored wonton strips) and you have a complete meal including a no-fail new recipe for Dad to master on the grill.

The recipe came about when I found tuna 'chunks'--beautiful fresh tuna pieces--for a much lower price than the tuna steaks at the fish counter. A marinade combination I've used with cedar plank salmon turned them into a brand new, very healthy recipe.

When making kabobs, whether beef, chicken or fish, I recommend doing the meat and vegetables on separate skewers. That way you can control the cooking temperature and time. Vegetables need to grill long enough to begin caramelizing on the edges and tenderize in the center. This can take a longer or shorter time than the meat, depending on which meat you're using. Chicken takes a little longer, while beef and tuna require shorter cooking times, depending on your taste.

Always use a marinade to get the flavor into your meats and vegetables before grilling. And if you're using bamboo skewers, don't forget to soak them for at least thirty minutes in water before loading them up.

Marinated Tuna and Vegetable Skewers

One-half cup soy sauce

One-half cup mirin (found near soy sauce)

One-fourth cup seasoned rice wine vinegar (found near soy sauce)

One-fourth cup extra virgin olive oil

2 T sugar

2 tsp. ground pepper

2 lbs. Tuna cut into 2 inch pieces

4 small zucchini, sliced into half inch rounds

2 medium red onions, cut into pieces about the size of the zucchini

1 green pepper, cut into pieces about the size of the zucchini

One-half cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. ground pepper

1 tsp. Sea salt

12 (12 inch) wooden skewers, soaked for at least 30 minutes in water

pickled ginger and wasabi as condiments

Combine soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, olive oil, sugar and pepper in large zip lock bag and swish to combine. Add tuna pieces, close bag and turn to completely coat tuna. Place in refrigerator for one or two hours, turning occasionally to keep tuna coated.

Place zucchini, onion and pepper pieces in medium bowl, and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper. Divide evenly between six skewers and set aside until ready to grill.

Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Prepare grill grate by brushing with oil.

Remove tuna from marinade and divide evenly between six skewers.

Place skewers on grill arranging according to temperature. Move to outer edges of grill when skewers are nearly done. Tuna should take just a couple of minutes per side for medium rare. Vegetables will take longer.

Serve with pickled ginger and wasabi paste as condiments.

Makes 4-6 servings

OM GROWN FOODS

Locally Grown Organic Vegetables--

The Sunflower Marks the Spot!

We received our first share of vegetables a couple of weeks ago from OM Grown Foods, a combination of two farming families near Ferrum, Virginia, who have joined forces to provide top quality organically grown vegetables. They sell shares of their vegetable crop each season, and plant accordingly. Every Monday the shareholders pick up their vegetable bag loaded with the week's harvest. You never know exactly what you'll get, only that you're receiving a huge bag of fresh, beautiful produce to feed your family for the coming week. They also share recipes through email of their favorite ways to use the different vegetables.

Several of the vegetable share-holders living in Martinsville take turns picking up the vegetable bags each week, since it's a little bit of an adventuresome road trip to wind through the countryside, especially if it's your first trip—no cell phone coverage if you're lost. It almost seems appropriate to go back to pre-cell days to pick up these great organic vegetables from a local organic gardner.

Our first bag contained spinach, collards, bok choi, asparagus, mixed baby salad greens, and arugula. I'll have to admit, I didn't even recognize

the collard greens. They were beautiful little young leaves that could have been eaten raw right out of the bag. And the baby bok choy looked like something from the produce section of an upscale green grocer. I've grown asparagus myself and had to leave the beds when we moved, but never has asparagus tasted so good. In other words, I'm in vegetable heaven!

It really does matter what we put into our bodies for fuel. Knowing where our food comes from and that it has been grown with the TLC that will promote my family's best health is important. There was news last week that linked ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) with the pesticides used on fruits and vegetables. Children who tested positive for a pesticide byproduct had roughly twice the odds of being diagnosed with ADHD according to a study appearing in the The Journal of Pediatrics (http://www.jpeds.com/ ).

It's early in the season, and the gardens are ready!

A simple pasta with sauteed greens, tomatoes and pancetta was our first Om Grown Meal--DELICIOUS!

Arancini--Savory and Sweet

ARANCINI--SAVORY and SWEET

When Vince Scordo (http://networkedblogs.com/2YKNn) suggested we declare May 1^st National Arancini Day, I immediately voted YES! Great idea to honor the deliciousness of arancini! After all, what's not to love? Crispy-crunchy outside, creamy-cheesy middle, and between the two extremes—risotto, one of the signature dishes of Italian cuisine.

Before I could get started, my mind took a side trip—not an unusual phenomenon--to a dolce place. I had this urge to try a sweet risotto, and then use the risotto to make Dolce Arancini. And the experimenting began...

The Dolce Risotto, made with coconut milk, fresh orange juice and zest, and dates, was delicious and took warm breakfast cereal to a new level. So delicious, in fact, that I was sure it would make a good dessert. I was twittering about my experiment, when a new twitter-friend from Asheville, NC, Jean Sexton (http://locavore4lore.wordpress.com/) , sent me a website (http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-restaurants-food/food-jars-create-the-497794.html) about the trendy layering of sweet and savory offerings in little mason jars. I pulled an empty jelly jar from under the cabinet, filled the bottom with the warm dolce risotto, topped it with sweetened whipped cream, and garnished with more almond slices and orange zest: PERFECT! It immediately transformed into a beautiful dessert that tasted just as lucious as it looked!

Next I chilled some of the sweet risotto and made rice balls, about one-eighth cup each. I filled each one with a cube of Brie, and after frying, rolled them around in cinnamon sugar and orange zest. Surely you must be tasting what I'm talking about! Breaking through the wonderful crispy cinnamon crust led to warm, sweet risotto, and finally to the center with soft, melted Brie. Flavor and texture levels all over the place.

I was on a happy, sweet high when I started the savory risotto dish. I had Pesto Sausage from Creminelli Fine Meats ( http://www.creminelli.com/) on hand. I knew it would make a fabulous risotto, but I had no idea HOW fabulous. The truth is, the sausage is so well seasoned that the risotto required no extra seasoning at all. I've tasted many great Italian sausages, and this is absolutely the best.

It was one of those days when everything seemed to work—of course it worked—it was National Arancini Day! And this Pesto Sausage Risotto was headed toward arancini to top all arancinis! Each rice ball was stuffed with a cube of mozzarella. After the crispy coating and frying, I served the arancini with fresh basil pesto. It could be that I have never, ever tasted anything more delicious. Everything was perfect—the Creminelli sausage, the resulting risotto, the melted mozzarella, and the fresh basil pesto—I wouldn't change a thing!

While there may have been a small number of people celebrating National Arancini Day this May 1^st, I would encourage everyone to be practicing and preparing for next year. I think we're off to a good start. Let's make May Day-Arancini Day an annual event!

Savory Arancini

Pesto Sausage Arancini

2 cups Pesto Sausage Risotto*

12 cubes mozzarella

One-half cup all purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Canola Oil for frying

Fresh basil pesto, to serve

Divide cold risotto into about 12 one-eighth cup pieces. Place a cube of mozzarella into each, and roll between your palms into balls.

Heat oil in heavy pot to 350 degrees. The oil should be about two-three inches deep. I use a small, deep pot and only fry two or three rice balls at a time.

Roll each rice ball in flour, dip in beaten egg, and then roll in bread crumbs.

Slip into heated oil, and let fry for 3-4 minutes, turning a couple of times with a wooden spoon. The rice balls should be browned and crispy on the outside, and cook long enough to melt the cheese.

Remove from oil and briefly drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately with fresh basil pesto.

*Pesto Sausage Risotto

2 T butter

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 small sweet onion, diced

One-half pound Pesto Sausage, removed from casing and diced

1 cup Arborio rice

Three-fourths cup white wine, room temperature

3 cups chicken broth, warmed to a simmer

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

One-fourth cup fresh basil chiffonade

Add butter and olive oil to medium sized pan over medium-low heat.

Add onion and sausage and saute until onion is soft and transparent, and sausage is browned.

Add rice, stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, to coat rice well and slightly toast.

Add wine, stirring until wine is nearly absorbed. Then begin adding chicken broth, about three-fourths cup at a time, until rice is al dente with creamy consistency.

Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Cover and let rest for a few minutes. Just before serving, stir in fresh basil.

Dolce Arancini

Dolce Arancini with Brie

2 cups sweet risotto*

12 cubes Brie

One-half cup all purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup plain bread crumbs (like panko)

Vegetable oil for frying (I used canola)

Cinnamon sugar with orange zest (this was a good accident—I left some orange zest on a saucer over night, it dried, and I mixed it into the cinnamon sugar)

Divide risotto into 12 equal sized rice balls. Place a piece of brie in the center of each, and roll between your palms to close.

Heat oil in heavy pot to 350 degrees. The oil should be about two-three inches deep. I use a small, deep pot and only fry two or three rice balls at a time.

Roll each rice ball in flour, dip in beaten egg, and then roll in bread crumbs.

Slip into heated oil, and let fry for 3-4 minutes, turning a couple of times with a wooden spoon. The rice balls should be browned and crispy on the outside, and cook long enough to melt the cheese.

Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and roll in cinnamon sugar with orange zest.

Enjoy while warm.

*Sweet Risotto

2 T butter

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 Cup Arborio rice

Three-fourths cup sparkling white grape juice

1 (14 oz.) can lite coconut milk

zest of one orange

1 cup fresh orange juice

pinch of salt

1 cup finely diced dried dates

One-half cup thinly sliced almonds

One-half cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Honey to taste

Add butter and oil to medium sized saute pan over medium-low heat. When heated, add rice, and cook, stirring for about two minutes, to coat rice. Add grape juice, stirring occasionally until most is absorbed. Meanwhile, heat coconut milk, orange zest & juice and salt in small saucepan just to a simmer. When rice has absorbed grape juice, begin adding the warmed coconut milk and orange juice about one-half cup at a time, stirring until nearly absorbed. Continue adding liquid until rice is al dente with creamy texture.

Add dates, almonds, parmesan cheese and cinnamon. Stir well to combine, taste, and add honey if more sweetness is desired. Cover and allow to rest for five minutes.

Serve as is, garnished with extra almonds and chopped dates.

Or for a dessert course, serve in little mason jelly jars, topped with a layer of whipped cream and garnished with sliced almonds and orange zest.

AMOR y TACOS---Modern Mexican Tacos, Margaritas, and Antojitos

(Toritos)

Good tequila, and a few traditional Mexican recipes that have been shaken (not stirred) just enough to yield exciting new flavors—sounds like a party to me! Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. But really, do we need a special reason to break out the Cabo Wabo? I don't think so.

A new book, AMOR Y TACOS, by Chef Deborah Schneider, contains everything you need to know to create a little 'Mexico' right in your own kitchen. While there are big plate recipes aplenty (don't miss the Shrimp Tacos Dorado!), some of my favorites are the antojitos (little bites—Mexican tapas). Our old 'heavy hors d'oeuvres' have become all the rage, but now we're calling them tapas or small plates. What has changed is the expansion into many different ethnic cuisines, and Mexican is surely one of the best.

Toritos (little peppers, stuffed with garlic, shrimp and oaxaca cheese) are colorful and delicious. Topped with mango salsa and pomegranate seeds, the flavors go from sweet to hot and back again. They can be prepared well in advance, and cooked just before serving, which also gives them extra credit on my score card.

Makes 8 stuffed peppers. Test the collective machismo of your gathering with these delicious little peppers oozing with cheese, garlic and sweet shrimp. I like to use different colors of small peppers--an ensemble of yellow guero, jalapeno, and red lipstick or other sweet miniature peppers looks particularly attractive. If you use jalapenos or gueros, they will definitely be spicy. Toritos take just a minute to make, and they can be prepared ahead and finished in the oven. The fillings can be varied according to the season; sauteed sweet corn is a very good addition.

8 small pointed peppers, about 3 inches long

1 T butter

1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh garlic

1 green onion, trimmed and thinly sliced

4 oz. medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped to yield about 3/4 cup

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup shredded good-quality Oaxaca, Jack, or mozzarella cheese

Mango Habaerno Salsa*

Pomegranate Seeds or Toasted Pepitas (optional)

Cilantro sprigs

1)Wash and dry the chile peppers, leaving the stems on. Wearing disposable gloves to keep the hot oil off your skin, cut a slit down one side of each pepper. Use a slim blunt knife or a tool such as the handle of a teaspoon to carefully scrape out all the seeds. Work carefully so you don't break the pepper or dislodge its stem.

2)In a 10 inch saute pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and green onion and cook until fragrant, but not browned. Add the chopped shrimp, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the shrimp are pink and firm. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

3)Stir in the shredded cheese. The mixture should hold its shape. If it is too crumbly, turn it out on a cutting board and chop until it sticks together.

4)Use a small teaspoon to gently fill each pepper with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the shrimp mixture. The filling should be generous. At this point, if you wish, you can refrigerate the stuffed peppers, covered, for up to 24 hours.

5)Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat an ovenproof cast-iron griddle or pan over medium-high heat. Lay a sheet of foil on the griddle and set the peppers on top. Roast the peppers on all sides until they are browned in places and are starting to get soft and wrinkled.

6)Transfer the griddle or pan to the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly.

7)Arrange the stuffed peppers on a warm serving plate and top each with a spoonful of mango salsa. Scatter with the pomegranate seeds or pepitas, if using, and serve right away with cilantro sprigs.

*Mango Habanero Salsa

(Habanero chile is very spicy--that's part of the fun--but you can substitute a milder chile, or leave it out altogether, if you prefer.)

3/4 cup firm but ripe mango, peeled and cut into 3/8 inch dicd

1/2 cup roma tomato, cored and cut into small dice

2 T finely diced red onion

1/2 tsp. minced habanero chile

1 T fresh-squeezed lime juice, or to taste

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh mint leaves

1 T chopped cilantro

Combine all the ingredients. Taste for seasoning; the salsa should be full-flavored, both sweet and very hot. You may need to add more lime juice or salt. This salsa should be used within 2 hours.

Another favorite is Chef Schneider's Carne Asada Taco Vampiro (you'll have to read the book to better understand the name—has to do with being so good, it needs to be immortal). In this recipe quesadillas are married to tacos, the offspring being quesotacos, and super-delicous. Just imagine a cheese quesadilla topped with carne asada and finished with grated Jack cheese, thinly sliced chiles and green onions, guacamole, pico de gallo, chipotle salsa and a little cilantro (did I miss anything?). I guess you could be a pig and eat the whole thing (that's what I did), or you could half or quarter and share.

Pair all this deliciousness with a Mexican Mohito or Sangria and the rest will take care of itself!

(Deborah Schneider is a chef and author of the award-winning Baja! Cooking on the Edge (Rodale) and Cooking with the Seasons (STC), nominated for a 2009 James Beard Award. She is the executive chef and partner in SOL Cocina in Newport Beach, California. Schneider lives with her family in San Diego.)

Coconut Cream Tartlets

Celebrate Spring with Delicious Little Coconut Cream Tartlets

May is filled with activity. We're all as busy as the bees swarming our blooming shrubs and trees.

There are school parties, bridal showers, graduations, parties of every kind. It's the perfect time of year, as we enjoy the natural progression of spring, to break out the party hats.

I suggest you begin by remembering your Mom on Mother's Day. This is a delicious way to say 'thank you' .

And by all means, grace your upcoming party table with these sweet spring treats. They taste as scrumptious as they look.

The ease of this recipe makes it perfect for such a busy time. The Pillsbury Bake-Off awarded $1,000,000 last month for a similar recipe using refrigerated sugar cookie dough to make cookie cups, but the million dollar recipe cups were filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with a raspberry. I'll admit I had a bad reaction. It's a great recipe, but for $1,000,000 I would hope for a little more.

So, if that was a million dollar recipe, this could be worth, oh, at least two million!

I was enjoying the musings of my friend Warren Bobrow, editor of the Wild Table in the Wild River Review, when I came across an article with a picture of a luscious piece of Coconut Cream Pie. It took me back to my childhood, and the Coconut Cream Pie they served at the Hub, a diner just outside Galax. I wonder if it was really as good as I remember. Anyhow, it just so happened that the picture that started my culinary day dreaming turned out to be the pie of Warren's wife, Julie, who is a pastry chef in New Jersey. So, I emailed Julie, and begged her for the recipe. She was gracious, and not only shared her secret with me, but gave me permission to share it with you.

Turns out, she used to make the cream custard all from scratch until a catering friend of hers suggested she try this little trick. I think you're going to like it! And believe me, they ARE delicious. They look and taste like you spent hours, but really they only take minutes!

Coconut Cream Tartlets

(makes 48 tartlets)

2 (16oz.) packages (24 each) of refrigerated sugar cookie dough (I use Pillsbury)

2 tsp. granulated sugar

3 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup half and half

2 (3.5oz.) packages Instant Vanilla pudding

1 T almond extract

1 small package shredded coconut, toasted*

*(Spread coconut on sheet pan. Place in 275° oven, stirring occasionally until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove and cool.)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray two 24 space mini-cupcake pans with butter flavored Pam.

Fill pans with raw cookie dough pieces and bake for about 16 minutes, until cookies are lightly golden brown.

Remove pan from oven, and very gently press each cookie down with the end of a wooden spoon dipped into granulated sugar, just enough to make a little cup indention. (There is a wooden kitchen tool made for this, but your wooden spoon end will work just fine.) Let cookies completely cool in pans.

Gently remove cookie cups from pans.

Add whipping cream, half and half, instant pudding and almond extract to mixing bowl. Whip until the consistency of firmly whipped cream (completely holds its shape), about 3-4 minutes.

Fill each cooled cookie cup with cream filling. Dip each tartlet top into the toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Asparagus Benedict Risotto Cakes

Leftover Risotto? Probably not. You may have to make risotto with this recipe in mind. However, I always try to make a little extra thinking about the possibility of a delicious meal the next day. This is a great spring version taking advantage of the beautiful, locally grown asparagus that's available this time of year. Mushroom risotto would be equally delicious, or pea, or artichoke—be creative—I really can't think of a bad choice!

This can be served as is for a lovely breakfast, or add baby mixed greens under the risotto cake for brunch or a light dinner.

8 Asparagus Risotto Cakes (from leftover Spring Asparagus Risotto*)

Reserved Blanched Asparagus Tips for garnish

1 cup Hollandaise-like Dressing

8 Poached Eggs

Shaved Fresh Parmesan

Crispy Pancetta

Traditional risotto* made with sauteed asparagus stems, white wine, broth, and finished with butter and parmesan cheese.

Reserved Asparagus Tips

When making risotto, remove asparagus tips and blanche in broth. Drain and set aside, or refrigerate, until ready to garnish.

Pancetta

8 serving sized pieces of pancetta, diced. Saute until crispy, drain to remove excess oil.

Asparagus Risotto Cakes

Traditional risotto made with sauteed asparagus stems, white wine, broth, and finished with butter and parmesan cheese. Refrigerate for several hours, or overnight. Form into patties (about 1/3 cup each) and saute on both sides in butter, just until outside is browned and inside is warmed through. (When you put patties into hot butter, don't disturb them until they move on their own to get a nicely browned crust.)

Hollandaise-like Warm Dressing

4 egg yolks

1 T lemon juice

One-half cup olive oil

1 tsp. Dried Herbs de Provence

salt and pepper

In a double boiler, bring water to a gentle boil, add egg yolks and lemon juice to top pan. Whisk over hot water until yolks turn a paler yellow and become creamy(three or four minutes). Remove from heat, and whisk in oil. Add herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into an insulated thermos-like coffee cup with lid, and close to keep warm until eggs and risotto cakes are ready (or, you can pour warm dressing into a cup and sit cup in a pan of very warm water).

Poached Eggs

Fill deep pan with one inch of water. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar and bring to a gentle boil. Slip 4 eggs into gently boiling water. Reduce heat to simmer. Poach about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove eggs to ovenproof warmed dish greased with melted butter, and cover. Set aside while poaching remaining eggs. When all eggs are poached, add to buttered warm dish and cover until ready to serve.

Place warm risotto cake on serving plate. Top with warm poached egg. Add asparagus tips, and then dressing Finally, garnish with pancetta and shaved parmesan cheese.

*ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

2 cups Arborio rice

4 T olive oil

4 T butter

1 large sweet onion, chopped

1 cup dry white wine

About 6 cups chicken broth

16 asparagus spears (tips removed for garnish)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup parmesan cheese

2 T butter

Sauté onion in oil and butter in large pot over medium heat.

Cut tips from asparagus and boil until ‘al dente’ in lightly salted water, about 5 minutes. Reserve tips.

Dice asparagus stems and add to onion. Cook until tender.

In separate medium sized sauce pot heat chicken broth just to a simmer.

Add rice to butter, oil, sautéed onions and asparagus stems and stir until rice is well coated with oil, about 2 minutes.

Add wine to rice and stir to combine. Let simmer until most of the wine is absorbed. Begin adding warm broth one cup at a time, stirring occasionally. Continue to add one cup of broth at a time, stirring and letting the broth be absorbed before adding the next cup of broth. Enough liquid has been added when rice has a tiny firmness in center of grain, but most of grain has softened. This takes about 18 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When rice is done, remove from heat. Stir cheese and 2 tablespoons butter into rice. Cover and let rest for maybe five minutes. Serve garnished with asparagus tips and extra shaved parmesan cheese.

(8 servings)

HAM: An Obsession with the Hindquarter

Featured on Warren Bobrow's Wild Table in the Wild River Review

I'm drawn to books like some women are drawn to shoes. Even with the internet, and all the information I have at my fingertips, I still love my hardcopy books. Just think how much money women could save if they were satisfied looking at shoes online rather than stockpiling them in their closets.

You won't be surprised to know that food related books take up most of the room on my shelves. I play a game with myself when book shopping: Which Book Grabs My Attention First, and Why? Sometimes it's the color or shape, or the font on the spine. Next I peruse titles. Finally, I get a book in hand and thumb through. I love food pictures and since I've started trying to take a few myself, I realize just how hard it is to make some foods look as good as they taste. I save the best 'til last: the recipes. If one recipe catches my eye, makes me want to taste, prepare, serve it—the book is probably going home with me. Often, just one good recipe will seal the deal—and it's worth it if the recipe turns out to be all that I expected.

I have a book in hand right now that has far exceeded all my expectations! It's spring, and I'm thinking about the Easter dinner we share in our family. When we have large gatherings, I begin thinking 'large' food, which leads me to HAM, especially fresh ham for spring. And here we have the perfect book: HAM: An Obsession with the Hindquarter by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough.

The very first recipe, Roasted Fresh Ham with a Maple-Spice Glaze sounds perfect, but wait, there's Moroccan-Style Roasted Fresh Ham, Tuscan Roasted Fresh Ham, Oven-Barbecued Fresh Ham. And that's just naming a few of the recipes in the first section. This luscious volume covers four types of ham: Fresh Ham, including recipes for a Ham Tagine and Steamed Ham Buns; Dry-Cured Ham in the Old World, with recipes for Chilled Honeydew Soup with Frizzled Ham and Prosciutto-Wrapped Meatloaf in a Vinegary Tomato Sauce, as well as a menu for a European ham party; Dry-Cured Ham in the New World, offering Jerk-Style Country Ham and Pineapple Tamales and a Glazed and Roasted Country Ham; and Wet-Cured Ham, featuring an Iberian-Inspired Frittata and an over-the top Mac and Ham and Cheese. The recipes cover the globe and range from cooking an entire ham, to appetizers using bits, pieces, or slices. They're all quite doable and very enticing.

Bruce, a “New Yorker from Torah scribes and Kosher butchers”, and Mark, a “Southerner from sharecroppers and Civil War soldiers”, are a most unlikely pair to be writing about ham, but they cover the subject thoroughly with tempting recipes for all cooks. Trust me, if there's anything you want to know about preparing the hindquarter of a pig, you can find it in this very humorous, well written and informative book.

Here are two of my favorite recipes from Ham: An Obsession with the Hindquarter, the afore mentioned Roasted Fresh Ham with a Maple-Spice Glaze, and a show-stopping Jambon Persillé (terrine). Hope you enjoy!

Hindquarter being sliced and served at 'Gustos in Rome. They don't fool around!

Roasted Fresh Ham

with a Maple-Spice Glaze

feeds 6 teenage boys, 16 adults, or 26 twentysomething models

One 8- to 10-pound bone-in fresh

ham, preferably from the shank

end, any rind removed

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup maple syrup

1. Put the Dickensian joint in a large roasting pan, preferably one that’s

shiny enough to reflect lots of ambient heat and not so flimsy that it tips

willy-nilly when you pick it up. Set the oven rack as high as it can go and

still afford the ham at least 2 inches of head space. Leave the roast in its

pan out on the counter and fire the oven up to 325 F.

2. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a small

bowl. Wash and dry your hands, then smooth the spice mixture all over

the ham’s external surface. Work it down into some of the crevices, but

be careful to avoid any deep-tissue massage. A ham is a complex structure

of muscle groups—too much massage and they can come apart like

Goldie Hawn in Death Becomes Her.

3. Cover the whole kit and caboodle with aluminum foil, shove it in the

oven, and leave it alone for 31/2 hours, while you go do whatever it is you

do when a big, sweating hunk of meat is roasting in your oven.

4. Peel off the aluminum foil. Baste the ham with about half the maple

syrup, preferably using a basting brush. Take it easy so you don’t knock

off the spice coating. Use small strokes—think Impressionism, not

Abstract Expressionism. (Or just dribble the syrup off a spoon.)

5. Continue roasting the ham, uncovered this time, basting every 15

minutes or so with more maple syrup as well as any pan drippings, until

an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the

meat without touching bone registers 170 F, about 11/4 hours. If it starts

to singe or turn too dark, tent it loosely with foil, uncovering it just at the

last to get it back to crunchy-crisp.

Jambon Persillé

from Ham: An Obsession with the Hindquarter by Weinstein and Scarbrough

Traditional preparations often include garlic with the parsley. However, we feel its spike can be excessive, so we've used only a little bit as well as some shallots here, a softer hint with the ham and parsley. Be sure to mince that garlic into very fine bits so no one takes an unexpected hit.

4 cups reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth, plus a little more if necessary

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 medium celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 teaspoons stemmed thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

8 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (about one and a half l/4 oz. Packets)

2 T water

1 ½ cups packed parsley leaves, minced

3 medium shallots, minced

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1 ½ pounds not-smoked, wet-cured ham, such as jambon de Paris, diced

1. Bring the broth, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, cloves, and bay leaves to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook very slowly for 35 minutes.

2. Uncover and continue cooking over a very low temperature for 10 minutes.

3. While the broth cooks, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and set aside to soften for 5 minutes.

4. Remove the saucepan from the heat, cool for a few minutes, and then strain the broth into a medium bowl, discarding all those solids. You should end up with 3 cups of liquid. If not, add a little more broth, just until you have the right amount.

5. Stir the softened gelatin and any residual water into the broth until the gelatin dissolves, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the parsley, shallots, and garlic in a small bowl.

6. Make alternating layers of the ham pieces and the parsley mixture in a 6-cup loaf or paté pan.

7. Gently pour the broth mixture over the ham pieces. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, until the gelatin has set up the broth—but cover after a couple hours, once the mixture is chilled. If there's extra gelatinized broth left over, save it back in the freezer, adding it in dribs and drabs for extra richness to your next pots of soup.

8. To unmold, fill a large bowl with warm (not hot) water. Run a thin knife around the inner perimeter of the terrine or pan, then very briefly dip the mold into the hot water, just so it comes about three-quarters of the way up the side. Don't dip longer than a few seconds or the gelatin will start to melt! Turn upside down onto a serving platter, unmold (shake free if necessary), and serve slices with grainy, spicy mustard on the side.