Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 27, 2024, Winnipeg, Manitoba WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM ● C3 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2024 Make Easter ham last all week THE beauty of making a baked ham for Easter (or any holiday or large gathering) is that there’s bound to be leftovers. Leftover ham, which will last for up to five days in the fridge, can be a springboard for other meals during the week. Of course you’ll want a sandwich or two, but there are many other ways to put that por- ky, smoky flavour to good use. Freezing it First off, you can always freeze leftover ham if you can’t use it all within several days. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or some type of re- usable wrap that really clings to it. Place the wrapped ham in a freez- er-proof bag. Press out any excess air from the bag, seal and freeze for up to six months. You can also slice or dice your ham before freezing. Diced or sliced ham will also need to be well wrapped before freezing and is best when used within four months. Don’t forget to label your ham with the date. To defrost frozen cooked ham, transfer it to the fridge and let defrost. Small pieces of cubed ham will take about a day to defrost. A larger piece of ham may take up to two days. Do not defrost ham at room temperature, which can allow bacteria to form. Best ham sandwich There are ham sandwiches and there are Ham Sandwich Master- pieces. My favourite version is made with toasted sourdough or country white bread, lots of crunchy lettuce, slices of an assertive firm cheese (such as Provolone or sharp cheddar), coarse or grainy mustard (such as Maille), mayonnaise, some verrrrrrryyyyy thinly sliced onion and maybe a slice of tomato. Simple and classic. Also, layer some ham into a grilled cheese sandwich — its own perfect kind of pleasure. A versatile addition Diced or chopped ham is a great addition to salads: try adding a cup or so to macaroni salad, Cobb salad, potato salad or kale salad. Or make a simple ham salad with chopped ham, mayo, minced celery and on- ion and a bit of mustard and relish, along with salt (be judicious — most hams are salty) and pepper. You can also give a casserole a boost with leftover ham. Add it to dishes such as baked tortellini or baked macaroni and cheese. Diced ham is a good addition to vegetable gratins and potato dishes of all kinds, such as scalloped potatoes, quiches, soups, stir-fried rice and more. And don’t forget about braised greens such as collards or mustard greens. If a recipe calls for bacon, consid- er using ham. Eggs are always a perfect partner to ham, whether scrambled, in an egg sandwich or as part of eggs Benedict. A classic Denver omelet is a perfect way to enjoy ham in a new guise. Not wasting food has never tasted so good. — The Associated Press KATIE WORKMAN Classic Denver omelette CHEYENNE COHEN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Leftover ham can be a springboard for a variety of other meals. To feed a crowd for Easter brunch, get crackin’ BAKIN’ EGGS A S anyone who has ever made breakfast for a crowd can at- test, it’s no fun stressing over how people like their eggs or churn- ing out pancakes until everyone but the cook has eaten enough. Instead, for Easter brunch this year, bake your eggs. That way, you can feed a large group all at once and maximize time with your guests. Two chefs offer recipes: 1. SHEETPAN SHAKSHUKA In her book Sheet Pan Suppers, Mol- ly Gilbert adapted several breakfast recipes to serve up to eight people, in- cluding the whimsically titled “Greens and Eggs and Ham” and a doubled-up version of Israeli shakshuka. Traditionally prepared in a skil- let, shakshuka has a base of sautéed peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic. Depending on the size of the skillet, five or six eggs are cracked into divots made in the sauce with the back of a spoon and the dish finishes cooking in the oven or covered on the stovetop. Chopped parsley freshens it and crum- bled feta adds creamy, briny notes. Gilbert, on the other hand, uses a larger rimmed baking sheet and heads straight for the oven. She tosses the chopped vegetables with oil and cumin directly on the sheet pan and roasts them until they begin to brown. She then mixes in a can of crushed toma- toes and takes advantage of the bigger surface area by making enough divots for 12 eggs. In just about half an hour, the dish is ready, bursting with contrasting flavours and textures from a handful of ingredients. “You get that sweet acidity from the tomatoes, heat from the peppers. And the creaminess of feta on top just makes it so good,” Gilbert said. 2. MAKE-AHEAD STRATA For even more free time away from the kitchen, an egg casserole called strata can be assembled the day be- fore, refrigerated overnight and baked when guests arrive. It’s something of a savory bread pudding, with beaten eggs binding torn pieces of bread and any combination of breakfast meat, greens, sliced vegetables and cheese. Lauren Lane, whose eponymous web- site focuses on entertaining and easy weeknight recipes, praised the dish for being infinitely adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand. “You can literally go to the fridge and pantry and make it at any given time,” Lane said, adding that her most recent strata was made completely from leftovers. Many recipes call for placing the bread on the bottom and layering the remaining ingredients, but Lane pre- fers stirring everything together. It’s easier and it also allows little pieces of bread to peek out and become crispy in the oven as the eggs puff up. Strata can be made hearty with lots of cheese and cooked sausage or bacon or lighter by loading up on greens and other vegetables. Fill out the meal with a nice salad, a basket of pastries or some chopped fruit. “All that can be done waiting for the main event in the oven, so hopefully you’re just pouring mimosas and not running around the kitchen,” Lane said. — The Associated Press ALBERT STUMM Sheetpan Shakshuka Serves: 6 to 8 Time: 30 to 40 minutes 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped 1 shallot, chopped 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 7.5 ml (1 ½ tsp) ground cumin 30 ml (2 tbsp) smoked paprika 1 796-ml (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes 12 large eggs 250 ml (1 cup) crumbled feta cheese 125 ml (½ cup) chopped parsley Toast or warm pita bread, for serving Preheat the oven to 175 C (350 F) with a rack in the middle. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together the chopped vegetables, paprika, 2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt and 45 ml (3 tbsp) ex- tra-virgin olive oil until the vegetables are evenly coated. Bake until the spices are fragrant and the vegetables have started to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Pour the tomatoes, with their juice, over the vegetables and stir to com- bine. Use a wooden spoon to make 12 evenly spaced divots in the sauce. The sauce will be runny. Crack the eggs into the divots and sprinkle with salt. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the eggs are cooked, 10 to 15 minutes for whites to set with runny yolks. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with parsley and feta. Lauren Lane’s Make-Ahead Breakfast Strata MOLLY GILBERT PHOTO Shakshuka has a base of sautéed peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic. 2 or 3 large eggs Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 15 ml (1 tbsp) unsalted butter, divided 45 (3 tbsp) chopped cooked ham 30 (2 tbsp) chopped onion 30 (2 tbsp) chopped bell pepper (any color or mix of colors) 30 (2 tbsp) shredded cheddar cheese (optional) Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Melt half of the butter in an 20-cm (8-inch) omelet pan or shallow skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Add the ham and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until it starts to brown on the edges. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir occasionally for another 3 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly. Transfer the ham and vegetables to a small bowl. Return the pan to the heat and add the rest of the butter. Let it melt, and swirl the pan so that the butter coats the bottom evenly. Pour the eggs into the pan and quickly shake and swirl it so the eggs cover the entire bottom of the pan. Let the eggs firm up on the bottom, about 30 seconds, then use a rubber spatula to lift the edges of the omelet up, so any uncooked egg on the top runs underneath. Sprinkle half of the eggs with the sautéed vegetables and ham and the cheese, if using, and let it cook for another 30 seconds; the top should be moist but not quite runny (unless you like it runny). Flip the untopped side of the eggs over the filling and slide it onto a plate. Serves: 8 Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes 8 large eggs 375 ml (1 ½ cups) milk 125 ml (½ cup) half-and-half Pinch of ground nutmeg Pinch of cayenne pepper 3.75 ml (¾ tsp) Kosher salt 2.5 ml (½ tsp) black pepper 2 green onions, sliced 113.4 g (4 ounces) greens such as aru- gula, spinach or chopped kale 250 to 500 ml (1 to 2 cups) chopped vegetables or cooked bacon or saus- age (or combination) 227 g (8 oz) leftover bread torn into 2.5-cm (1-inch pieces), such as English muffins, white or sourdough bread 107 g (1 cup) shredded mild melting cheese such as Gruyère, provolone, goat cheese or Gouda (more for the top if desired). Preheat the oven to 175 C (350 F) with a rack in the middle. Grease a 23-cm (9-inch) square baking dish with butter or cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the additional cheese if desired. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until the strata is puffed, golden brown at the edges and set in the centre, about 15 minutes more. Test the centre for doneness. CHEYENNE COHEN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Omelettes are a good way to put ham’s smoky flavour to good use. LAUREN LANE This strata can be made the night before and popped in the oven any time. ARTS ● LIFE I FOOD ;