Baked Easter “Ham”
As I predicted, I baked some of the ham I made last night for Easter dinner tonight, and I have to say, it was definitely the “hammiest” thing I’ve eaten in 20 years, so I’m getting very close!
I took three of the “cutlets” I boiled last night, scored them, brushed them with a mixture of about 2 tablespoons agave nectar and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic mustard I mentioned in this post (that I got from this post on Cupcake Punk), and studded them with cloves, then baked at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes.
I deplore having nothing green with my dinner, but I’m pretty much out of veggies and I don’t think Wegmans was open today. So homemade sauerkraut and more frozen corn it was.
I’m a little hammed out having had it two nights in a row now (and there are still more leftovers!), but I think in a few weeks when I get the urge to make it again, I’ll have a perfected recipe for you!
I also tested the babka recipe for Peter Reinhart’s upcoming cookbook, appropriately enough as it’s Easter. I wasn’t expecting it to turn out that well because it calls for a lot of egg yolks. But I substituted an equal weight of silken tofu and it turned out AWESOME!
I did some more organizing in my kitchen this weekend. What’s interesting about that is I was just looking at my first seitan “ham” post and realized that I made that attempt the same weekend I completely reorganized my kitchen the first time. Weird. Anyway, in the course of cleaning out my cupboards, I found a few things that I’m simply never going to use and I’d like to offer them to any of you who could use them.
First, I bought this set of Calphalon Hard Anodized cookware a few years ago. I use the pots all the time, but I never use the skillets, because as you know, I am extremely attached to my cast iron skillet. These are really, really nice skillets, though. I may have used the larger two once or twice, although I’m not sure I ever used them at all. They are pretty much brand new. I have used the smaller skillet a bit more often, though only for toasting things like seeds, so I therefore never use oil on it and it’s completely clean. I thought about keeping the small skillet, but then I figured I’d keep the set together and get myself one of the small cast iron skillets I’m always eyeing up and talking myself out of because I have a small skillet. If you are interested, leave a comment and I’ll email you for your address so I can send you the set; shipping is on me anywhere in the US. Internationally, let me know your country and postcode and I’ll figure out what shipping will be and if it’s a lot, we can talk. Together the set weighs just under ten pounds.
Secondly, this Italian bread pan. I used it a few times after buying it and it’s great, but I then got a huge baking stone that I now bake directly on. Same deal as above: if you want it, leave a comment.
These are both really nice items that I simply haven’t given the attention they deserve. I also don’t have room for them in my kitchen. I’d love to see them go to someone who will use them. I bought these items specifically because I like the brand name: most of my non-cast iron cookware is Calphalon hard anodized, and most of my bakeware is Chicago Metallic. I just don’t use these particular items. If you want, I can post pictures of them.
I guess if more than one person is interested in one or both of the items, I’ll pick winners at random on Friday, April 17 at 8 p.m. (Eastern time). If no one responds by then, I’ll either give them to the first person to comment after that time, or I may find something else to do with them. I’d just like them to have a good home.
poopiebitch Said,
April 12, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
Oh. My. Gosh.
I was just cursing out my (one!) skillet earlier today, because it’s a hand-me-down from my sister from when I got married (um, nine years ago) and the non-stick is coming off.
I would LOVE the skillets. Love. Lovelovelove.
Josiane Said,
April 12, 2009 @ 11:01 pm
Your babka looks fabulous… and delicious! How fun that you got to test that recipe! I’ve had the opportunity lately to test a recipe for a vegan cookbook author, and I thought it was a great experience.
I’ve been thinking for a little while that it would be a very good idea to change my Teflon-coated skillets for something better, and I’ve also been thinking about baking bread more often, so… I sure could provide a good and loving home to those skillets and that bread pan! That’s a very generous offer!
Lisa Said,
April 13, 2009 @ 6:14 am
I’m with you on the cast iron skillets. I can’t imagine using anything else!
But that bread pan looks pretty nifty!! I have been trying to find a decent bread in the regular, local grocery store (one that is not big on healthy versions of anything), because Wegman’s is too far away for the mid-week soy milk and bread trip. They either contain milk or HFCS — or both. Very, very frustrating. Obviously, I just need to bake more myself…
Jessie Said,
April 13, 2009 @ 7:58 am
Gosh that’s so nice of you to just give away the skillets and pan! I was just looking for new skillets and bake ware online and would sure love it if I didn’t have to dish out the money for them!
Jes Said,
April 13, 2009 @ 8:02 am
I’m seriously drooling over the ham right now…and it’s only 9 am. So tantalizing, especially with the mustard (which I need to make another jar of pronto)!
emma Said,
April 13, 2009 @ 11:40 am
here’s a little story for you: my dirt broke boyfriend and i were dirt brokedly walking around ikea yesterday lamenting the range and quality of pots and pans available to us. i told him he just needed to save up $700 for a whole set of calphalon pans because they have a lifetime warranty, and he would never need to buy a pan again. he looked into my dirt broke eyes and we shared a dirt broke sigh and that was that.
so! imagine my surprise and delight to read that you, writer of one of my favorite food blogs ever, are offering up some calphalon skillets. my dirt broke boyfriend and i would really, really love and appreciate such a thing, because we both love to cook and we both really, really hate his scratched to hell k-mart skillets with their cheap plastic handles.
thank you for reading this novella of mine, i hope you have a really nice day!
Courtney Said,
April 13, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
What a generous offer! I could really really use a new set of pans! I have 1 from the dollar store…yeah. It is about as fabulous as it sounds. I just took another pay cut, so won’t be upgrading anytime soon. I can promise them a good home with lots of attention :o)
Happy (late) Easter!
Courtney
Claire Said,
April 15, 2009 @ 12:36 pm
I’ve got to add my name to this…I would love some new pans seeing as how I’m using third generation pans that have had about six owners before me and are probably leeching chemicals as I cook in themmm
That bread pan looks pretty sweet too…*drools*
A hard summer ahead and a seitan ham recipe | Tales of a spoon Said,
June 5, 2011 @ 2:04 am
[…] I was in a hurry, but I suppose that baked it tasted better. If you want, you can try to bake it as Renae did it for her Easter dinner. Or if it is too much seitan for you (like it happened to me…yeah, my family is still reticent to […]