Tag: condiments

Recipe: Soy Honey-glazed Ham with Cucumber Cashew Salsa

Posted on by Dan Clapson

Glazed ham recipe

Ham and smoked pork shoulder are two cuts of pork that get a lot of limelight leading up to Easter. Shortly after, it seems to fade away, back into the sidelines while most people return to roasting chickens, grilling steaks, so on and so forth…

Me? Well, you’ll find a ham in my fridge more often than not. Since it’s already been cooked, it lasts a long time and is ideal for many things from cubing up into a simple omelette to mac and cheese, soups and more.

This recipe takes thick slices of ham (or smoked pork shoulder — the main difference is that they are different cuts of meat, but processed the same way) and turns them into filling, sweet-savoury dinner steaks in no-time. The cucumber cashew salsa helps brighten things up  too.

This dish is just begging to be eaten outside on your back deck. Weather permitting, of course!

What you’ll need…

Cucumber cashew “salsa”:

1/2 long English cucumber (diced)

3 green onions (thinly sliced)

1 bird’s eye chili (thinly sliced)

1 lemon (zest and juice)

1 cup cashews (roughly chopped)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Glaze:

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sriracha

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

 

8 1/2″ slices of ham or smoked pork shoulder

Directions:

Cucumber cashew “salsa”:

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Keep cool in fridge until ready to serve with ham.

(note: most ideal to prep shortly before serving so cashews still retain their texture)

Ham:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place all glaze ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Spread cuts of ham out evenly in a large baking dish and brush liberally with glaze.

Let cook in oven for 25 minutes, removing from oven and applying more glaze intermittently.

If desired, turn oven to low broil to help caramelize glaze for 5 minutes or so before completing roasting time.

Serve warm from oven with cucumber and cashew salsa on the side.

Serves 4-5

Total prep and cook time…35 minutes

 

Recipe: Black Pepper and Sweet Onion Bacon Jam

Posted on by Dan Clapson

Bacon jam recipe

Ah, bacon jam. Is there anything you can’t do with it? Perfect slathered on bread slices before making a grilled cheese, lovely dolloped onto a cheese plate for your Saturday night dinner party, simply by the spoonful straight to your mouth…Everything in moderation though, my friends!

Anyway, this simple recipe for bacon jam is one that every home cook should have in their arsenal. The trick to find perfection here is giving those onions enough time to beautifully caramelize. Try it out for yourself this week!

What you’ll need…

1 tablespoon canola oil

8 slices double-smoked bacon (thinly sliced

2 medium sweet onions (halved and thinly sliced)

1/2 cup good quality orange juice

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat canola oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add sliced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and edges begin to crisp slightly, approximately 6-8 minutes.

Transfer from pan to paper towel to absorb excess grease and reduce to medium heat. Add onion to pan and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once onions begin to brown, intermittently add splashes of orange juice to help deglaze the pan. Continue to do this until all juice has been used and the onions are a nice golden colour, about 10 minutes or so.

Add honey to the pan, stir to combine and let cook for another 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool slightly.

Transfer contents of pan to a food processor and pulse until a chunky paste forms.

Spoon bacon jam into a bowl or container and stir in the coarse black pepper.

Cover and keep in refrigerator to use are desired.

Will keep for up to a week.

Yields 1 1/2 cups bacon jam

Total cook time…40 minutes

Recipe: Chili Bacon and Apple Jam

Posted on by Dan Clapson

apple bacon jam recipe

If you say the words, “bacon jam” (or as bacon fanatics like to call it, “BACON JAM!”) people’s ears usually perk up. This sweet, salty condiment is really easy to make at home. The apple and mustard in this recipe add nice texture and contrast to the richness of the cooked bacon. For the bacon in this recipe, I used this delicious, thick cut Hutterite bacon that you can find at Calgary Co-op. It’s made just outside of Claresholm, Alberta so nice and local. Gotta love it!

Serve it on a charcuterie platter at your next party or use it the way I love to, Slathered on white bread when you’re making a grilled cheese sandwiches.

I know, right? You’re welcome!

What you’ll need…

8 strips thick cut bacon (diced)

1 yellow onion (diced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 gala apple (cored and diced)

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons grainy dijon mustard

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

salt (to taste)

Directions:

Heat up a large pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add diced bacon and cook for 5 minutes.

Next, add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about another 5 minutes.

Add apple to the pan and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly. If bacon fat has been completely absorbed by components add a splash or two of water to the pan to stop over caramelization.

Transfer contents of pan to a blender or food processor along with remaining ingredients and puree several times until mixture is a slightly chunky paste.

Return to pan and continue to cook on medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until mixture thickens noticeably, about 8-10 minutes.

Remove from heat and once room temperature, transfer to container, cover and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. Will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Yields 1 1/2 cups bacon jam

Total cook time…

Recipe: Spicy Bruised Cucumber Relish

Posted on by Dan Clapson

Cucumber relish recipe

No matter how well-made a sausage can be, especially after being grilled to perfection on the barbecue, it can always benefit from the addition of condiments. This bruised cucumber recipe may sound like something a little different, but it’s ridiculously simple and is a dynamic alternative to the regular ol’ relish you find at the grocery store.

It’s best prepared and used same-day, so don’t whip this up until an hour or two before your barbecue!

What you’ll need…

1/2 cucumber (diced)

1/4 cup fresh dill (roughly chopped)

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons Korean red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions:

Place the first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Using the base of coffee mug or sturdy glass bash the mixture to tenderize for approximately 1 minute.

Add vinegar, stir and transfer to a bowl or ziploc bag and let chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

Yields 2 cups relish

Total prep time…5 minutes