Braised Fresh Ham with Fennel, Shiitake and Leeks
What a delicious way to serve a fresh ham, braise it till it falls off the bone!! Add fresh fennel,healthy shiitake mushrooms, flavorful leeks, parsnips, turnips and carrots! This dish is full of healthy organic vegetables seasoned with the flavor of heritage pork which has been naturally raised, humanely butchered, and naturally cured at our local CMO farm! Serve it with a cabbage salad, rice or a potato dish. I like to serve it with scalloped potatoes made with yukon golds, Japanese sweet potato and loads of swiss chard!! Just Delicious!!
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3-4 lb fresh naturally cured ham
1 teaspoon roasted ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons honey aleppo pepper blend (Victoria’s Gourmet or similar)
1 large leek, sliced white and green
1/2 bulb fennel with fronds,sliced
1 parsnip, cut up
1 turnip, cut in quarters
3 carrots, cut up
10-12 whole shiitake mushrooms
2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
2 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
Heat the olive oil In a shallow braiser pan on medium high
Place ham seasoned with coriander, thyme and aleppo pepper in the pan and brown on both sides
Add all the vegetables except the mushrooms
Add the molasses, vinegar and broth
Pop into a 375 degree preheated oven and braise for 2 hours until ham is fork tender
Serve with potatoes or rice and a fresh salad! Pinot Noir is great with this dish, Enjoy!
Scalloped Potatoes & Swiss Chard
In a medium casserole pan layer sliced yukon golds, sliced Japanese sweet potato, sliced sweet onion,chopped swiss chard with stems, sliced pads of butter and 1 cup or less of milk or broth
Season with fresh ground salt and pepper
Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour until potatoes are tender
Uncover to brown casserole for 10 minutes
I have purposely neglected to give measurements in this potato recipe as it should be made to the individual’s taste (ie: less or more butter, milk and vegetables to taste) This is so good!!