For Easter, la vie en rose

When I see a wedge of jambon persille, a mosaic of rose-pink chunks of ham set in a shimmering aspic flecked with parsley, I know I’m back home in Burgundy. I’ve come across parsleyed ham in other parts of France -- in Paris, for instance, where it appears with pate de campagne and rillettes on the appetizer menu of traditional bistros. But only in Burgundy does jambon persille hit the headlines, top choice in a region renowned for good eating.

Charcutiers compete to provide the brightest version of parsleyed ham, piquant with fresh garlic and shallot, the white wine aspic lightly set so it holds the chunks of lean ham in place with no trace of the rubbery bounce that betrays too much gelatin. Locals queue to buy it freshly made, toting home generous wedges, or even a small bowlful for the family lunch on Sunday when grandma and children from the baby on up gather around the table.

The pink ham, green herb and shine of the aspic is absolutely gorgeous. In France, it’s always served as a first course, presented simply with cornichons, olives and plenty of fresh baguette.

At Easter in Burgundy, where the festivities are elaborate, jambon persille plays a prime role. The grand, leisurely Sunday feast starts with jambon de Paques, the Easter version of parsleyed ham that is packed with hard-boiled eggs, adding springtime color. The mold may be served with a little salad of cucumber in vinegar, or thinly sliced baby fennel, and, of course, country bread. It sets the scene for the treats to come -- a whole roast baby lamb, or baby goat cooked outdoors on a spit, or possibly a choice piece of center-cut wild salmon, flanked by spring vegetables.

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A starring role

I make it go further than French cooks do, as the centerpiece of a relaxed meal, with the simplest of accompaniments: a vinaigrette of baby potatoes in their skins, a dandelion or arugula salad with walnut oil dressing, and my favorite julienne of root celery in a mustardy remoulade mayonnaise.

Making parsleyed ham is an adventure that takes some time, but it’s well worth the effort. The traditional version occupies two days, though there are many pauses along the way, and your whole house will be aromatic with simmering meat and wine. The recipe proceeds in stages: soaking the ham to remove salt; simmering it with wine, flavorings, and calf’s or pig’s feet and bones for gelatin; shredding the cooked meats and reducing the aspic; and finally layering everything together in one glorious vivid mold.

First, you need a whole country ham on the bone (or a shank half if the ham is very large). It should be uncooked and cured, meaning that it has been salted or brined, and probably lightly smoked. You’ll find many possibilities on the Web, for example at www.padows.com and www.scotthams.com. Most hams on offer are already cooked, so be sure to find one that is raw. I dodge pepper or honey cures, and also Virginia or Smithfield hams, as they tend to be too salty.

When it comes to wine, use a Burgundy-style Chardonnay, which means full-bodied but dry, with a minimum of oak. It can be imported or domestic. The other ingredients are straightforward -- a few vegetables, aromatics and parsley.

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Long simmering pays off

All these country ingredients are held together with the natural gelatin that is extracted from calf’s or pig’s feet and veal bones. Long, long simmering is critical, with the surface of the liquid almost motionless in the pot. Just as a precaution, I’ve included a test: If a spoonful of the cooking liquid does not set when chilled, you should play it safe and add powdered gelatin. If you’ve ever made Jell-O, you’ll know that a mold with too little gelatin collapses miserably, and we don’t want that!

Now for the action. The first step, long before any cooking, is to soak the ham for about 24 hours to remove excess salt. Cooking starts by blanching feet and bones to clean them and, for the ham, to extract more salt from the surface. Taste a bit of ham and if necessary blanch it again as this is the last chance to adjust the salt.

Now all the ingredients go in a vast pot -- I’d recommend a very large stock pot, or a ham boiler -- along with the wine and enough water to cover the ingredients. So the cooking liquid does not cloud, simmering is done without the lid and it will probably take six hours or so.

Once the meats are cooked, you can leave them overnight, covered on the back of the stove; they’ll be fine. (If you chill them, the cooking liquid will set and you’ll have to warm the pot in the morning.)

Now comes the real work; plan on a couple of hours. Handling aspic, arranging ingredients and setting them little by little in colorful layers is enormously creative. Take your time, and taste along the way. The basic aspic should be concentrated, mellow with all those meats and wine. Toward the end you’ll be adding parsley, chopped shallot and garlic to highlight the piquant ham.

It is traditional to set parsleyed ham in a deep bowl so it unmolds as a shimmering, green-shrouded hemisphere with intriguing glimpses of pink ham. For serving, the mold is cut in wedges like a cake, revealing the multicolored layers.

Parsleyed ham is so delicious that I’ve been known to experience withdrawal symptoms away from my kitchen in Burgundy. So I’ve developed a version that takes a quarter the time of the traditional one and involves ready-cooked ham -- though I always look for artisan, country ham with plenty of taste. Lavish amounts of fresh parsley and plenty of wine to pick up flavor -- how can it fail? Once molded in its bowl, the ham keeps well for several days and flavor im- proves.

For a wine to serve with either version, it’s back to Burgundy. For a celebration I opt for a fruity, black currant-tinged Pinot Noir, with a lighter, less expensive Macon for a simpler occasion. Both are perfect counterpoint to the tingling, complex flavors of this country tour de force.

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Jambon de Paques (Easter ham)

Total time: 6 to 7 hours preparation time plus 24 hours soaking and 6 hours setting

Servings: 16 to 20

Note: You will need cheesecloth, a large stock pot and a 4- to 5-quart deep bowl. Raw cured country hams are available at www. padows.com ([800] 344-4267); www.scotthams.com ([800] 318-1353); or by special order at Preferred Meats, Oakland ([800] 397-6328, ask for Lisa).

1 (12- to 14-pound) raw cured country ham, on the bone

2 calf’s or pig’s feet, split (2 1/4 pounds)

2 to 3 pounds veal bones

2 bay leaves

5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 onions, peeled, whole

1 leek, trimmed and split, rinsed

2 stalks celery

2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise

2 bottles (750 ml each) Chardonnay

Salt and pepper

1 to 2 large bunches flat-leaf or curly parsley (about 6 ounces)

1 to 5 tablespoons unflavored gelatin (optional)

6 shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 cup Chardonnay or 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)

6hard-cooked eggs (optional)

1. Wipe off any mold on the outside of the ham with a damp cloth dipped in a little vinegar. Soak the ham 24 hours in cold water, changing the water 3 or 4 times.

2. After soaking, blanch the ham: Drain and put it in the stock pot with the calf’s or pig’s feet, veal bones and water to generously cover. Bring it slowly to a boil, skimming often and taking at least 20 minutes. Simmer 5 minutes, then remove the meats and rinse them with water. Taste a small piece of the ham, and if it is still very salty, blanch it again. Meanwhile, strip the parsley leaves from the stems and set aside the leaves. Tie the stems in cheesecloth with the bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns.

3. Put the ham, feet, bones, bag of aromatics, onions, leek, celery, carrots and wine in the pot. Add water to generously cover the ham, cover and bring the pot slowly to a boil. Remove the lid and simmer very gently, uncovered, until the ham is tender enough to be pulled apart with a fork, about 6 hours. Skim the pot often during cooking to remove fat and to keep the liquid clear; add water during cooking if necessary to keep the meats covered.

4. Let the pot cool for 15 minutes, then lift the ham out and set it aside. Let the ham cool to tepid, then pull it apart into large chunks with your fingers, cutting away any tendons and discarding bones and any skin. I find that the finished aspic is prettiest if I pull the ham from the bone and then pull it apart into 1-inch slivers with my fingers, rather than cutting cubes with a knife.

5. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl, discarding veal bones, vegetables and spice bag. Skim the cooking liquid very thoroughly (if you have time to chill or freeze it so the surface fat solidifies, so much the better). Wipe out the stock pot, return the liquid to it and boil to reduce it until very well flavored, about 3 quarts. This may take half an hour or more. To give the parsley leaves bright color: Wash and dry them, chop and put them in a small bowl. Pour one-half cup boiling water over the parsley to set the color and leave to cool.

6. Test the cooking liquid after it is well reduced, to be sure it sets well: Freeze a saucer until very cold and add a tablespoonful of liquid. If it sets firmly and leaves a clear trail when you push it with a fingertip, it is ready to use. If it is soft, it will need 1 to 2 tablespoons gelatin; if very soft, play safe and use 3 to 5 tablespoons gelatin. To add the gelatin, put three-fourths cup water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin and leave it until spongy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the sponge into the hot cooking liquid until melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning -- it will probably need pepper, but possibly no salt. Strain it through cheesecloth into a metal bowl, stir in the parsley and water, shallots, and garlic. Taste, and adjust the seasoning again. If flavor needs brightening, stir in one-half cup more wine, or a squeeze (2 tablespoons) of lemon juice.

7. To mold the aspic: Set the bowl of aspic in a deep pan of ice water and chill it, stirring occasionally, until it is cool. Aspic will thicken quite suddenly when cold, so take it off the ice when cool. Put the deep bowl in the ice water, spoon in a half-inch layer of aspic (1 cup) and chill until set (it will set quite quickly). Meanwhile halve the hard-boiled eggs. Arrange 5 to 6 halves, cut sides down, in a flower pattern on the aspic (they should not touch the bowl sides). Spread some of the ham on top and spoon in enough aspic to moisten and almost cover the ham and eggs. Chill until set.

8. Quarter the remaining eggs and arrange them in a circle on the aspic. Stir the remaining ham into the remaining aspic and add it to the bowl -- it should be almost full. Press the pieces of ham well below the surface of the aspic and make sure no air bubbles are trapped beneath the ham.

9. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and leave until firmly set, at least 6 hours. It can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator up to a week, but once cut open it should be eaten within a day.

10. To unmold and serve the aspic: Dip the bowl in warm water for 30 seconds. Run a knife around the edge of the aspic, tip the bowl sideways and pull the aspic away from the bowl with your fingers to break the airlock. Set a flat platter on the bowl and tip the aspic onto the platter with a quick shake. No decoration is needed, though you can add a few green curly lettuce leaves or micro greens if you like. At table, cut the aspic in wedges using a very sharp knife, or if serving from the kitchen, use an electric knife.

Each of 20 servings: 585 calories; 48 grams protein; 1 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 36 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 159 mg. cholesterol; 1,041 mg. sodium.

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Shortcut jambon persille

Total time: Work time: 1 1/4 hours; setting time: at least 3 hours

Servings: 8 to 10

Note: You will need a large (2-quart) deep bowl. Small cooked cured country hams (2 1/2 - to 3 1/2 - pound “buffet” size) are available at www.padows.com, (800) 344-4267.

1 (2-pound) piece of cooked cured country ham

1 bottle (750 milliliters) Chardonnay

3/4 cup veal stock, divided

2 bay leaves

2 to 3 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 teaspoon peppercorns

Medium bunch (about 2 ounces) flat leaf or curly parsley

1/4 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons gelatin

4 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

1. Pull the ham apart with your fingers into uneven 1-inch chunks, discarding the fat and any sinew. Set aside.

2. Combine the wine, half the stock, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns in a saucepan. Cover the pan and bring to a boil.

3. Wash and dry the parsley. Strip the parsley leaves from the stems and add stems to the wine mixture. Let it simmer, covered, very gently for about 30 minutes.

4. Chop the parsley leaves and put them in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over the leaves to set the color and leave to cool.

5. Pour the remaining stock into a medium bowl, sprinkle the gelatin on top and leave it until spongy, about 5 minutes. Strain the wine mixture into a measuring cup. There should be 3 cups; if necessary add a little water. Bring the wine mixture just back to a boil, take off the heat, add the gelatin sponge and stir until melted. Pour into a bowl and leave it to cool until tepid, then stir in the parsley and water, shallots and garlic. Taste the aspic and season it with salt and pepper (remember that the ham is salty). Aspic will thicken quite suddenly when cold, so do not chill it.

6. To mold the ham, add a shallow layer of aspic (three-fourths cup) to the glass bowl or terrine mold and chill it in the refrigerator or over ice water about 8 to 10 minutes until almost set. Mix the ham with the shallots, garlic and parsley (along with its liquid) in a large bowl. Add the remaining tepid aspic, mix well, and transfer the entire mix to the mold. Press the pieces of ham well below the surface of the aspic and make sure no air bubbles are trapped beneath the ham. Cover the mold and chill it until set, at least 3 hours. It keeps well for up to a week, but once cut open should be eaten within a day.

7. To unmold and serve, dip the mold in hot water for 30 seconds to loosen the aspic. Run a knife around the edge, unmold the ham onto a platter, and cut it in wedges for serving.

Each of 10 servings: 206 calories; 25 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 50 mg. cholesterol; 1,250 mg. sodium.