Using an Easter Leftover to Cater to Friends and Family

So Easter has come and gone. The chocolate bunnies have been consumed from the ears to the feet and the kids are no longer running circles around the house. The beautifully colored eggs were long ago cracked and turned into deviled eggs. Speaking of which... Why are DEVIL-ed eggs a mainstay on most Easter menus? Ironic... but I digress. So what to do with the one thing left from the Easter celebration? And no I'm not talking about the black jelly beans. You can send those to me by the way. My Father and I are the only people on Earth that actually enjoy eating them. But, I further digress. No I'm referring to the ubiquitous, spiral-sliced ham half wrapped in it's red foil jacket, mocking you from the back corner of the refrigerator. The kids have long since tired of ham and cheese on white and breakfast of ham & eggs for dinner just won't cut it. So what to do with the rest of that $50-60 ham?

Have you ever noticed after the first of the year, that favorite diner of yours down on the corner next to the pharmacy runs a special of Turkey Croquettes? Well... here are a couple of recipes you can pull out of your hat, a.k.a. freezer, for a future dinner party or family get together. And before you say it, no, we buy to order. We're quite different from your favorite diner and have no "Blue Plate Special"! Now, back to the recipes.

We have one for your friends and one for your family and they are both quite easy. The first is Jambon, Champignon, et Fromage en Croute. Sound fancy? Allow me to translate: Ham, Mushroom, and Cheese in Puff Pastry. Simple but quite good , impressive for your friends, and stores quite nicely in the freezer for up to a month.

JCF en Croute
Serves 10

1 box (2 sheets) Puff Pastry
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
2 cups mushrooms, diced
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup Brandy
1 cup Easter ham, diced small
1 cup your favorite cheese, shredded (I suggest Gruyere, Fontina, or Goat)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced (you can also add your favorite fresh herbs)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 egg yolk + 1 Tbsp water

Sprinkle pastry sheets with flour and roll with rolling pin until 1 1/2 the original size. Set aside.

Melt butter in saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot. Saute for one minute. Add mushrooms and sprinkle with salt. Cook until mushrooms release their liquid. Add brandy and cook until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature in a mixing bowl.

Add ham, cheese, and fresh herbs to bowl and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix egg yolk and water well. Brush the edges of the pastry with the eggwash and place half of the mixture down the middle of the pastry lengthwise. Fold each side of the pastry over the filling and press to seal. Place on a sheet pan seam side down. Cut 3 vents across the top and brush with the eggwash. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry. At this point you may bake at 425° until golden brown, let cool to room temperature, slice, and serve or place sheet pan in the freezer until thoroughly frozen. Double wrap in plastic wrap then foil and keep in freezer for up to a month. Remove from freezer and bake as before.

I'll post my second recipe shortly so check back. Oh! Almost forgot! Happy Cooking and Bon Appetit!