Country Ham Paté (aka, Ham Loaf)
This week's recipes can be combined to make a wonderful springtime brunch, lunch or dinner. The ham loaf recipe (created by Pierre Franey) was torn out of a newspaper a number of years ago. When we decided to try it, we went with Chef Franey's suggestion to serve the loaf with either sweet relish or chutney. The combination of flavors didn't appeal to us, so we then tried a number of things, including salsa. We really liked the ham loaf, but struggled to find something that complemented the flavors without overwhelming them. After several experiments, we finally came up with the herb sauce which we think is a perfect accompaniment (it also has a beautiful pale green color). Both the ham loaf and the sauce can be made ahead and will keep, refrigerated, for several days.
The risotto is not only delicious, but is a visually appealing dish that was passed along to us by Suzanne and Garland Marshall. Suzanne's parents, the Russells, have developed this recipe into part of the meal-time entertainment. After we made it the first time, we decided that the amount of stirring involved is similar to any recipe that begins with "first you make a roux". The variations on this recipe are endless, we've only mentioned a few. If you are serving the risotto as a main dish, it is also wonderful with the addition of crumbled bacon or slivers of ham. Experiment! It's well worth the effort.
