Ham & Spinach Rolls

While I was giving some thought to something different and interesting for supper today, a unique memory came back to me. I don’t know if you are familiar with Black Iberian Ham. Brion and I certainly were not aware of the Iberian pigs until we had traveled in Spain and Portugal one year. 

Iberian pigs have black skins and hooves and very little hair. Their history is steeped in mystery. Beginning with the acorns from oak tree pastures in Spain to their long curing process. Magically each ham is transformed into one of the world’s most exquisite foods.

Immediately after weaning, the piglets are fattened on barley and corn for several weeks. During the spring and summer, cattle and sheep graze on the oak forest pastures. In fall and winter, when the acorns are falling from the trees, the Iberian pigs are then allowed to roam in the pastures and oak groves to feed naturally on grass, herbs, acorns and roots until slaughtering time approaches. At that time, the diet may be strictly limited to olives and acorns for best quality Iberian ham. It is possible for a pig to eat 10 kilos of acorns in a day.

The hams from the slaughtered pigs are salted and left to begin drying for two weeks, after which they are rinsed and left to dry for another four to six weeks. The curing process then takes at least 12 months although some producers cure their hams for up to forty-eight months. The extraordinarily long curing process is possible because of the huge amount of fat on each ham. Over that time period, they loose nearly half their weight as the fat drips away.

The curing hams hang where open windows allow mountain air to ‘caress’ them as they transform from a piece of pork into the ultimate flavored  BLACK IBERIAN HAM.

Brion and I have always found that travel is unmistakably the most interesting form of learning one can experience.

This recipe for  HAM & SPINACH ROLLS,  although quite simple, makes a nice little elegant meal in a short space of time. 

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Ham & Spinach Rolls

A nice way to transform basic into special.

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Rating: 5
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Course

Lunch, Main Dish

Cuisine

American

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 284 ml Cream of Wild Mushroom soup, divided
• 1 small onion, diced fine
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup milk, divided
• 300 grams frozen, chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
• 1/8 tsp dry mustard
• 1 slice wholegrain bread, torn in pieces
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
• 8 large ham slices

Course Lunch, Main Dish Cuisine American Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 egg 284 ml Cream of Wild Mushroom soup, divided 1 small onion, diced fine 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp salt 2/3 cup milk, divided 300 grams frozen, chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry 1/8 tsp dry mustard 1 slice wholegrain bread, torn in pieces 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese 8 large ham slices

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, place egg, 1/3 of soup, onion, garlic powder & salt & pulse for 30 seconds. Add half of the milk, spinach, mustard, bread, thyme & Parmesan. Blend another 30 seconds.
2. Lay ham slices on work space and divide filling evenly among them. Arrange filled ham rolls in a shallow baking dish. Combine remaining soup & milk; spoon evenly over rolls. Bake, covered for 15 minutes, remove foil & bake 10 more minutes or until bubbly & filling is cooked through. If preferred, garnish with dried parsley.
3.