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Recipe Detail Page
Westphalian Ham Toasts with Spiced Quince Jam
Autumn 2014
Fragrant quinces make a brief appearance every autumn. While they aren’t really edible raw, they turn into something wonderful when cooked. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, the jam turns a beautiful blush colour and becomes the perfect pair to salty, smoked ham. Look for ripe fruit with yellow skin (as opposed to green) and a deep floral fragrance. Both traditional Black Forest Ham from Germany and speck from Italy’s Alto Adige region make a fine substitute for the Westphalian Ham.
Makes 12
SPICED QUINCE JAM
4 quinces, scrubbed and coarsely grated
¼ cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ cups (375 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) apple cider
2 cups (500 mL) sugar
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cloves
6 slices sourdough boule, each sliced in half
1 large clove garlic, peeled
3 tbsp (45 mL) melted butter
6 thin slices Westphalian ham, or
other smoked, dry-cured ham, cut in half
1 In a medium saucepan, combine quince, lemon juice, water and apple cider. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until quince is tender.
2 Add sugar and cloves; stir to combine and cook an additional 50 to 60 minutes until jam turns a light rose colour. Divide between 2 sterilized 2-cup (500-mL) capacity jars; loosely seal and allow to cool to room temperature. Tightly seal and store for up to 1 year in a cool dark cupboard. Refrigerate once opened.
3 To make toasts, arrange bread on upper rack of oven and broil until deeply toasted on both sides. While still hot, rub one side of each piece with garlic clove. Brush with butter and spread each with a generous tablespoonful of jam. Divide ham, folding to fit, amongst toasts and serve warm.
Makes 12
