Newspaper Page Text
Tradition with a
TWIST
This Easter dinner's ham has a homey
pineapple-laced sauce, and the
coconut cake gets a super-easy glaze.
BECAUSE IT COMES so early this year, Easter could N
feel a lot like Christmas for many of us. I suggest a holi- *
day meal that clings a bit to winter while reaching for spring.
Anchor the menu with a big ham. The bone-in, spiral-cut
variety is so readily available and easy to prepare, why consider
anything else? Serve it with a pineapple sauce redolent of the past.
Brown sugar, mustard, ginger, cloves and pineapple (the only thing
missing is maraschino cherries) contribute to the classic flavor.
Pair it with smashed golden potatoes, seasoned with flavorful
extra-virgin olive oil and a handful of fresh herbs spring’s dis
tinctive kiss. Round out the meal with broiled asparagus.
Wow them with Simple Yellow Cake with Coconut Glaze. The
cake is easy to make and the glaze even more so. Not long ago, a
friend served this at a dinner party, and the guests declared it the
best cake they had ever eaten. It’s that good.
Contributing Editor Pam Anderson is the author of five cookbooks.
Her brand-new one is The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight & Eating Great
(Houghton Mifflin, $27).
■ Smashed Potatoes with Olive Oil & Fresh Herbs
5 pounds golden potatoes,
such as yellow Finnish
or Yukon Gold, well washed
but unpeeled
Salt and ground black pepper
Note: Be generous with milder
herbs (parsley, cilantro, chives,
basil) and less so with stronger ones
(mint tarragon, thyme, oregano).
Place potatoes in a single layer
in a large roasting pan; cover with
water. Bring to a boil over two
burners over medium-high heat
Reduce heat to medium-low; cook,
covered with foil, until potatoes are
16
USA WEEKEND • March 14-16,2008
Smart
By PAM ANDERSON
A cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs,
your choice (parsley, cilantro,
chives, basil, mint tarragon,
thyme, oregano)
tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain,
reserving 1 cup of the cooking
water. Smash potatoes with salt,
pepper and enough water to make
moist Stir in olive oil and herbs.
SERVES 12-16 ■ PER SERVING:
227 calories, 4g protein,
33g carbohydrates, 9g fat
(lg saturated), Omg cholesterol,
4g fiber, 14mg sodium
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■ Glazed Ham with Pineapple-Raisin Sauce
2 cups dark brown sugar
'A cup Dijon mustard
X tsp. ground ginger
A tsp. ground cloves
4 cups fresh pineapple (medium dice)
Mix brown sugar, mustard, ginger and cloves
in medium bowl so mustard moistens sugar.
Transfer 1 cup of sugar mixture to saucepan;
reserve rest of sugar mixture to glaze ham.
Add pineapple, onion and raisins to sugar
mixture in pan. Bring to simmer over medium
high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and
simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
(Sauce can be refrigerated for 2 or 3 days.)
About 3 hours before serving, place ham
in 9-by-13-inch pan; discard any package of
seasoning or glaze that came with the ham.
Bake ham according to maker's instructions.
When ham is done, remove from oven and
set oven temperature to 425 degrees. Coat
1 medium red onion (medium dice)
1 cup dark raisins
1 8- to 9-pound unglazed spiral-cut
half-ham
1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tb. water
ham all over with remaining sugar mixture;
bake until dark and well glazed, about
10 minutes total (brush ham with pan juices/
glaze after 5 minutes). Remove from oven
and let rest, covered, for 15 to 30 minutes.
When ready to serve, return pineapple
sauce to a simmer. Mix cornstarch with
water; stir into sauce and simmer until thick
enough to mound on a spoon. Serve ham
with sauce alongside.
SERVES 32 (3 OUNCES EACH) ■ PER SERVING
(HAM WITH 2 TBS. SAUCE): 207 calories,
22g protein, 22g carbohydrates, 4g fat
(1g saturated), 65mg cholesterol, 1g fiber,
1,098 mg sodium
PHOTOS: RENEE COMET FOR USA WEEKEND; STYLING: LISA CHERKASKY