Ham, the all-purpose leftover

Detroit Free Press (MCT) - You can eat it here and there; say! you can eat it anywhere

I grew up in a Polish-Catholic household, and ham was an Easter mainstay. It graced our table as well as our Easter baskets. It was put on a plate, wrapped in plastic and nestled in the basket with other foods, ready to be blessed at church the Saturday before Easter.

It was plain ham, with no sauce or glaze and definitely no sweet, crackly sugar coating. Heck, it wasn't even spiral sliced.

But it was a huge hit for leftovers.

In a time-starved cook's world, leftovers are a best friend.

And in these difficult economic times, leftovers save money.

"Because of the great leftover aspect, ham is definitely one of the most economical in the meat cases today," says Pamela Johnson, director of consumer communications for the National Pork Board. "You get so many meals out of it."

You can use leftover ham in soups, casseroles, pasta dishes and salads. And, like turkey leftovers at Thanksgiving, ham makes an awesome sandwich.

Just remember to watch how you salt or season the leftover dishes you make. Ham tends to be salty and can make whatever you're making salty, too.

It's a perfect pairing for many egg dishes. Chopped ham tastes great in frittatas _ an egg dish resembling an omelet that's not folded over and is usually finished under the broiler _ and quiches. Ham is ideal pan-fried and served with scrambled eggs.

And don't forget about using the ham bone to make soup. It has tremendous flavor and is the key to making a great bean soup.

Here are some ham tips:

If you haven't cooked your ham just yet, it's OK. The U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines say you can store it for 2 weeks in the refrigerator if it's vacuum-sealed, undated and unopened.

Ham should be used within five days of serving. After that you can store it in the freezer. Wrapped well, it will keep up to 2 months.

Cut, slice or dice the ham and store it in freezer containers or bags in the exact amounts for your recipes.

Add chopped or sliced ham to mixed green salads or pasta salad. Use it to make a ham pot pie. Make a cream sauce for pasta and add chopped ham and green peas.

Today's recipes include a quiche, a sandwich and a baked pasta dish that's a takeoff on macaroni and cheese. For more leftover recipes, see www.theotherwhitemeat.com

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HAM, ASPARAGUS AND LEEK QUICHE

Serves: 6 (generously) / Preparation time: 20 minutes / Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

This recipe uses up leftover ham and any leftover eggs.

1 9-inch pie crust

1 egg white

1 tablespoon butter

1 to 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved, washed well, thinly sliced

ľ pound asparagus, tough ends removed, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 cups chopped leftover ham

4 large eggs

1 Ľ cups fat-free half-and-half or regular half-and-half

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Ľ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt, optional

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese or favorite shredded cheese (4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and flute a high edge. Brush the bottom of the crust with egg white. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add leek, asparagus and ham; season with the pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes; let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, freshly ground pepper, cornstarch, nutmeg and salt, if using.

Remove the pie crust from the oven. Sprinkle the cheese on the bottom and top with the ham mixture. Pour egg mixture on top.

Bake until center of quiche is just set, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing and serving. To store, let cool, then refrigerate, up to 1 day. Reheat at 350 degrees until warm in center, about 30 minutes.

Variation: You can substitute chopped broccoli and red pepper for the asparagus and use a cheddar cheese blend in place of the Gruyere.

Adapted from Everyday Food magazine, April 2009 issue.

Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

435 calories (54 percent from fat ), 26 grams fat (11 grams sat. fat ), 22 grams carbohydrates, 26 grams protein, 344 mg sodium, 208 mg cholesterol, 302 mg calcium, 1 gram fiber .

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HAM PANINI WITH PROVOLONE AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Serves: 4 (large sandwiches) / Preparation time: 15 minutes/ Total time: 35 minutes

A tabletop grill such as a George Foreman works great for these sandwiches. These keep well and can be served hot or cold.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large onion, peeled, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 (16 ounces) French baguette or other favorite bread

Mixed field greens

˝ cup leftover ham sauce (see recipe) or favorite condiment

˝ pound thinly sliced leftover baked ham

4 slices provolone cheese (about ˝ ounce each)

1 avocado, cut in half, pitted and sliced

1/8 teaspoon sea salt and garlic seasoning or favorite seasoning

Have ready a panini maker, grill pan or tabletop grill.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion slices and cook until just beginning to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and continue cooking until onions are completely softened. Set aside.

Cut the bread into 4 even pieces. Spread 1 tablespoon of the ham sauce on each piece of bread. Top with some field greens, ham slices and 1 slice of cheese for each sandwich. Top with caramelized onions and avocado slices. Top with bread. Brush the bread all over with some olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt and garlic seasoning. Place on the panini maker or tabletop grill and press down. Cook until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Remove and serve.

From and tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

657 calories (35 percent from fat ), 26 grams fat (8 grams sat. fat ), 76 grams carbohydrates, 30 grams protein, 891 mg sodium, 63 mg cholesterol, 136 mg calcium, 6 grams fiber .

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GEMELLI BAKED WITH HAM AND CHEESE

Serves: 8 (as a generous side dish) / Preparation time: 25 minutes / Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

This is a takeoff of a creamy macaroni and cheese that gets added creaminess from sour cream. Any variety of shredded cheese can be used.

1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 pound gemelli pasta, cooked according to package instructions

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ˝ cups 1 percent milk

1 ˝ cups reduced-fat sour cream

3 eggs, beaten

3 cups shredded Colby/Jack cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Ľ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 ˝ cups leftover chopped ham

1 cup sauteed onions, optional

TOPPING

2 cups panko bread crumbs

Ľ cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 2- to 3-quart casserole dish using 1 teaspoon butter.

Cook the gemelli pasta; drain and rinse. Transfer the cooked pasta to the prepared casserole.

In a medium sauce pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the flour over medium heat; cook 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk, sour cream and eggs. Stir in the Colby/Jack cheese until it melts. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Gently stir in the ham and, if using, the sauteed onions.

In a small bowl, mix together the panko, Parmesan and melted butter. Sprinkle on the topping.

Bake for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated and the top is browned. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

From and tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

697 calories (44 percent from fat ), 34 grams fat (18 grams sat. fat ), 60 grams carbohydrates, 37 grams protein, 499 mg sodium, 192 mg cholesterol, 469 mg calcium, 2 grams fiber.

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© 2009, Detroit Free Press.