Maple Mustard Glaze for Ham

We had our usual holiday ham for Christmas, from Hager's this year.  My sister and I put together this glaze, which was delicious.  Sweet but not too sweet, tempered by tangy vinegar and mustard.  This would also work well to toss with cubed squash or sweet potatoes for roasting.

1/3 cup maple syrup, preferably grade B (dark)
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1-2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until smooth.  Simmer until somewhat reduced, then refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes enough for one 10+ pound ham.

Grilled Snap Peas

Grilling briefly over high heat brings out the sweetness of the peas and adds a nice smoky note to the flavor while still leaving them with a good crunch.  Feel free to vary the seasonings.  You'll need a grill basket for this.

1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp spicy mustard
1 tsp sugar or honey
1/2 lb snap peas, stemmed
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the oil, mustard, and sugar or honey in small bowl and mix well.  Place the snap peas in a medium bowl and add the dressing, then toss to coat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Get the grill nice and hot, then place the peas in the grill basket and grill for 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice.  They should brown a bit but not get charred or soft.  Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Mustard Grilled Steak

It hasn't been so warm the last week, but the sunny days have lured us outside nonetheless and tempted us to the grill. I really liked this simple steak preparation with spicy mustard. I used a chili pepper spiked mustard that we have, but a regular spicy brown mustard would work as well - use something grainy if you have it, and add a dash of cayenne or chili powder if you like. The steak, of course, comes from our share of a grass-fed cow from Freeman Farm. Leftovers makes nice steak sandwiches the next day.

Steak(s)
Spicy mustard
Chili powder or cayenne (optional)
Salt (coarse salt if you have it)
Freshly ground pepper

Take the steak(s) out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to cook it (or any amount of time you have, up to an hour). Pat it dry and place it on a plate. Spread both sides with mustard, about 1/2 tsp for each person's serving. Add a dash of chili powder or ground cayenne if you'd like a little extra chili pepper kick. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and add a bit of freshly ground pepper. Let sit until ready to grill.

Grill the steak over high heat, 4-5 minutes a side for medium rare. Let it rest for a few minutes when done, then serve hot.

Ham with Apple Cider-Dijon Glaze

Every so often I send my husband to the farmers market on his own, and I never know what surprises he is going to bring home. A couple months ago it was a 5-lb ham. Delicious no doubt, but not exactly something to cook up on a Tuesday night for the three of us. So it's been sitting in the freezer ever since. Yesterday I decided it was time to use it and we invited some friends over to help with the eating. I made a tangy-sweet glaze to go with it from some of the season's last apple cider.

1 5-6 lb bone-in cured ham
2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup brown sugar
1-2 tsp ground cayenne (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Place the ham flat side down in a roasting pan. Make criss-cross cuts about 1/2-inch deep across the top and sides. Place the ham in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

While you start cooking the ham, put the glaze together (all remaining ingredients) in a wide bottomed pan such as a braising pan or Dutch oven (this is important; it will not reduce fast enough with a regular saucepan).  Whisk them together, bring to a boil, then simmer until much reduced. Turn off the heat and let it sit; it will thicken somewhat.

After the ham has cooked for the first 30 minutes, pull it out and baste it with some of the glaze. Return to the oven for 20 minutes, then add more glaze. Cook the ham for another 20 minutes, then insert a thermometer into the middle of the meat. The ham is done when it reaches 135-140 degrees. Try not to overcook as it will start to dry out. If it needs more time, glaze again and return to the oven until done. (For a larger ham it may take 2 hours or so total.)

When the ham is done, let it rest for 10 minutes or so, then slice and serve. Pass remaining glaze at the table as a sauce.

Serves 8-10.

Green Beans with Shallot Mustard Sauce

Happy New Year! As might be obvious, I've been away for the holidays. But now I'm back, and with a few recipes to share. This one was a major hit at Christmas dinner. I used green beans from our garden that I froze last summer.

1/4 butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 tsp spicy brown mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 lbs green beans, cut in 2-inch lengths (thawed if frozen)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the shallots and saute gentle for several minutes. Stir in the mustard, then add salt and pepper to taste. Keep sauce warm while you cook the beans.

While making the sauce, steam the green beans until tender. Remove beans to a bowl and toss thoroughly with the sauce. Serve hot.

Serves 6-8.

Dijon Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

This marks the end of the stew beef from our share; next year I hope we can get more. We still have lots of steaks and ground beef, though, so those recipes will keep coming. This dish also marked the end of the sweet potatoes that I bought at Winter Fare - almost three months ago, but still in great shape. I stored them like the squash, in a paper bag in the mudroom.

2 lbs stew beef, trimmed and cubed
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Water and/or stock (beef or veggie)
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

In a large bowl, toss the beef with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and the flour.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, then add the beef. Brown on all sides over high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot periodically to prevent too much sticking. When the beef is browned, add the onion and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Add the mustard, bay leaf, and thyme, plus enough water and/or stock to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes to the pot, plus a bit more liquid if needed. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to very low, and simmer for at least another hour (and as long as 3). Just before you are ready to serve, taste and adjust seasonings. If the stew seems to watery, raise the heat to medium and cook uncovered for a bit.

Serves 4-6.

Braised Dijon Beef Shanks with Root Vegetables

Beef shanks are an economical cut from the leg of the cow. They contain a substantial amount of bone and connective tissue, which means they are perfect for slow cooking in liquid. You wouldn't want to touch them after 30 minutes, but after a few hours, they are falling-off-the-bone tender, succulent, and deeply flavored. We got a few in our beef share this fall, and this is how I used them. The result is essentially a beef stew that also uses some of the many delicious local root vegetables available at this time of year. You can add a little dry red wine to this if you like. This is a great weekend dish; it doesn't require a ton of work, but you need to be able to start it during the afternoon. If you don't have shanks, this treatment would also work well for other tough cuts such as short ribs, oxtail, or even just stew meat.

2 1/2 - 3 lbs beef shanks
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 cups stock (beef is best; chicken and veggie work too)
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
3 cups other root vegetables, cubed (such as celeriac, turnip, and/or rutabaga)
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped parsley (fresh or frozen)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees (to brown the beef; you can also do this on the stove if you prefer).

Trim the beef shanks of excessive fat and exterior connective tissue, but don't put too much effort into it. Pat it dry, then brush lightly with canola oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Roast for 15-20 minutes, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides. Remove from oven. Using a baster, take about 2 tsp of the fat from the pan and transfer it to a Dutch oven.

Heat the Dutch oven with the fat in it, then add the onions. Saute over medium heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, then place the shanks in the pot as well. Sprinkle with a little additional salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add the potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables. Cover and continue to simmer until meat and vegetables are tender - at least an hour. Additional simmering time will generally be beneficial (I let this go on very low heat all afternoon). Just before serving, stir in the mustard and parsley and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serves about 4.

Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw

Another winter slaw...this one very pink. It has a nice crunch and mild kick from the dressing. These slaws keep well in the fridge for a few days, so you can make a large batch and eat it with dinner over a couple days.

1 small-medium heat red cabbage, very thinly sliced
1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and grated
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp spicy mustard
1-2 tsp salt

Combine the cabbage, apple, and onion in a large bowl and fluff with your fingers or toss well with a spoon to separate all the strands.

Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl or jar and mix well. Pour over salad and toss to thoroughly coat everything. Let slaw sit for an hour or so before serving.

Serves 6-8.

Sesame Mustard Slaw

This recipe, slightly adapted, comes from Didi Emmons's excellent Vegetarian Planet. Didi loves slaws and this book has a whole section of them. At a time of year when cabbage is more readily available than fresh salad greens, slaws are a welcome way to use them. This one is fantastic. For my own contributions, see the variation ideas.

6-8 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
1 large carrot, grated
1 1/2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sesame seeds

Combine the cabbage, onion, and carrot in a large bowl and fluff with your fingers to separate and mix all the pieces.

In a jar or small bowl, combine all other ingredients except the sesame seeds. Pour over the veggies and toss to coat. Cover the slaw and refrigerate for at least one hour to let the cabbage soften and the flavors mingle.

Just before serving, lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet. Toss with the salad and serve.

Serves about 6.

Variations: There is no need to limit this to cabbage, or even to use cabbage at all. The dressing goes well with other types of winter vegetables. Try combining shredded carrots and raisins with the dressing (sesame seeds optional). Or use apple instead of carrot in the cabbage version. Or try a combination of shredded carrot and celeriac. Yum!