Jambon Persillé

Method

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1. Simmer the ham with the onion, carrots, bay, thyme, peppercorns, wine and water for 150 minutes, until it pulls apart easily. Skim the foam off as it rises.

   Mark done

2. Lift the ham out and strain the stock. Boil the stock hard to reduce it to 900 ml, then taste for salt.

   Mark done

3. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water 5 minutes, squeeze them out and whisk them into the hot stock with the vinegar until dissolved.

   Mark done

4. Tear the ham into rough 3 cm pieces, discarding fat and skin.

   Mark done

5. Cool the stock until it is syrupy and just beginning to set at the edges — not hot, or the parsley will discolour.

   Mark done

6. Fold the parsley, garlic and shallots into the cooled stock.

   Mark done

7. Layer the ham into a terrine, pour the green jelly over so it fills every gap, and refrigerate at least 480 minutes until firmly set. Turn out to slice.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Parsley into cooled stock. Hot stock turns it khaki.
• Tear the ham, do not dice it.
• Reduce the stock properly or the jelly will be weak.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• Cornichons
• Country bread
• A glass of Aligoté

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 5 days, covered. It does not freeze — the jelly weeps.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.