Recipes

Parsley Ham (Jambon Persillé de Bourgonne)

Jane Grigson

This is the famous and beautiful Eastertide dish of Burgundy…

Parsley Ham (Jambon Persillé de Bourgonne) Recipe

As Jane writes in Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery…

“This is the famous and beautiful Eastertide dish of Burgundy. The major requirements are plenty of white wine, the ham, plenty of parsley and one of those old-fashioned bedroom wash-bowls”

Nowadays, I’d recommend a very large mixing bowl, glass, stainless steel or pottery but never plastic.

Ingredients

For the Ham

3lb piece of gammon
large knuckle of veal, chopped into pieces
2 calf’s feet, boned, and tied together
Bouquet Garni (chervil, tarragon, bay, thyme, parsley)
8 peppercorns
dry white wine

For the Jelly

1 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp chopped parsley

Method

Place the gammon into a ham kettle with plenty of cold water, slowly bring to the boil to draw out excess salt. Pour off the water if it is very salty and repeat the process.
When the water is once more at the boil, simmer the gammon very gently for three-quarters of an hour.
Remove from the water and cut the meat off the bone in sizeable chunks.
Put the meat into a pan with the remaining ingredients, using enough white wine to cover. Bring to a gentle boil.
Skim off the fat as it rises, and leave the gammon to cook very thoroughly (as it will need to be mashed and flaked with a fork). Reserve the meat once cooked.
For the jelly, pour off the cooking liquid through a strainer lined with a piece of clean cotton sheeting. Taste the liquid to make sure it is not too salty. Add the white wine vinegar, and leave it to set a little.
Meanwhile, crush the reserved meat into a bowl.
Before the jelly sets, stir in the chopped parsley and then pour over the meat.
Leave to set, preferably overnight, in a cold place.
Turn out from the bowl to serve.

To serve

Serve with a fresh green salad and/or some crusty bread.

Further Information

Charcuterie & French Pork Cookery By Jane Grigson - Book Review...

Credit: Recipe & all associated images With Copyright Owner Permission of Grub Street Publishing

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