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| Tasso Hams |
Well, I'm a little late getting to this, but nevertheless I finally got around to making tasso ham. Now I feel real embarrassed admitting this, being one who spends every day of my life around cheese and charcuterie, but I didn't know what tasso ham was. But that is the beauty of this
challenge, to learn about new ingredients, new cooking methods, and new skills.
So then tasso ham is not really even ham, but pork shoulder that has been cured, rubbed in a spicy aromatic blend of white pepper, marjoram (although I actually used oregano), allspice, and cayenne, then smoked. It isn't meant to be eaten as a main dish (or so they say), but instead used as a seasoning for just about anything you can think of. It is most commonly used in Cajun cooking for jambalaya and gumbo. It is also ridiculously easy to make. It cured in less than 4 hours, and was done smoking in less time than that. By far the easiest of the challenges as of yet.
Ok, ham lesson over. Since I haven't really had the time lately to use this meaty condiment for things like gumbo or beans or any dish that takes hours to prepare, I turned to my ever trusty standby. Breakfast, it's the most
tasty important meal of the day.
I did nothing more than crisp up a little bit of the ham with a handful of lovely greens from the garden and a couple of eggs from the coop. In cooking, simple is rarely boring.
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Spinach, Arugula, & Beet Greens
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Sauteed Greens with Tasso Ham & Fried Eggs
Ingredients
2 ounces Tasso Ham, cubed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large handful greens (I used spinach, arugula, and red beet greens, but you can use whatever you want)
2 eggs
butter
salt & pepper
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| cubed & ready for action |
Add ham to pan and crisp, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic, saute for 30 seconds.
Throw in greens, season, and cook until wilted, set aside.
Lightly butter pan, add eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Cook to whatever doneness you like.
Top greens with eggs, serve.
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| Breakfast is served |
