Jambon Perisillé à Ma Façon

By corlear

Even though I feel gloriously at one with Burgundy’s wine, I am convinced that I was never a Burgundian in a past life, as my palate demonstrates a serious lack of enthusiasm for many of the area’s most prized regional recipes. Jambon persillé—a terrine consisting of chunks of ham suspended in a chardonnay-flavored aspic laden with parsley, garlic, and shallots—is a perfect exampie of what I'm talking about, for it is frequently the butt of many a cyclist’s joke as we travel through the region that reveres it. While a thick slice of this mélange may well be the perfect appetizer to savor with a fine glass of Chablis, Puligny-Montrachet, or Meursault, I tend not to like anything served to me in slab form, let alone suspended in aspic. No wonder Burgundy-born Colette said, “Burgundy is like a pig: Some parts are more memorable than others, but every bit is edible.”

Never one, however, to pass up an occasion for enjoying a fine glass of white Burgundy with anything, I set out to devise my own personally more palatable rendition of the region’s parsleyed ham. Aspic instantly eliminated, I found myself faced with ingredients that would lend themselves quite nicely to a salad, particularly with a little additional enhancement from some non-traditional Gruyère cheese and a hearty sprinkling of coarsely chopped pistachio nuts.

The ham used in this recipe should be a mild baked or boiled one from a delicatessen—or even better, look for the Madrange Company’s Le Jambon Françias, imported from France and increasingly available in the United States. This jambon perisillé done “my way” still works well as a first course and should be mounded onto a bed of buttery green lettuce leaves. The salad is also a natural for cyclists to pack when bound for a wine country picnic.

Ingredients

• 1 pound thinly sliced baked or boiled mild ham
• 1 pound thinly sliced French or Swiss Gruyère or other Swiss cheese
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
• 8 cornichons (small French pickles), drained and minced
• 2 tablespoons imported Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup white Burgundy wine or other chardonnay
• 1/2 cup peanut oil or other mild vegetable oil
• Sea or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cut both the ham and cheese into 1/2 inch squares and toss together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the shallots, garlic, parsley, pistachios, and cornichons.

2. Whisk together the mustard and wine in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil. Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing gently to combine. Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper and serve at once or chill until serving time. The salad is best when served slightly chilled or at room temperature; it will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.