it’s probably not likely that you’ll have any leftover wine from the festive season but there is usually plenty of food, especially ham! Here’s four of our favourite recipes for leftover ham and the wines you should drink with them.

HAM PATTIES

Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon of butter
1/2 tsp each of dried thyme and oregano (or herbs of choice)
2 cups of finely diced ham
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Fry the onion over medium heat in a little butter until soft.
2. Add herbs and toss for a few seconds, then add the ham, flour, parsley, mustard milk and season to taste.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the egg and cheese.
4. Let cool, then shape the mixture into small oval patties.
5. Fry patties in some butter until brown all over.

Note:  Leftover turkey, pork or chicken are all just as delicious in this recipe! 

Pair with our Sauvignon Blanc Semillon or Chardonnay.

PEA & HAM SOUP

This is a wonderful recipe that we have been enjoying for years, it is from the Country Women’s Association of Western Australia cook book, first published in 1936.  We particularly liked this quote from the book by Lola Lundy, the State President in 1984: 

"No-one goes his way alone.  For what he puts into the lives of others flows back into his own."      

Ingredients:
250g split peas
1 onion
2 celery sticks
1 carrot
Ham bones or bacon rind
3 litres stock or water
2 tablespoons of flour

Method:

1. Wash peas and soak overnight to remove starch.  
2. Peel and cut up vegetables roughly.  
3. Put peas, vegetables, ham bones and water into a saucepan.  Simmer for three hours.  
4. Remove bones, pass soup through a sieve, rubbing peas and vegetables well through.  Return to saucepan.  
5. Mix flour to a smooth paste with a little cold water and stir into soup; boil three minutes.  
6. Serve soup with chunky bread for dipping.

Note: Do not add extra salt as salt leaches out of the ham in time.  If extra salt is needed, add as consumed.

Pair with our Sauvignon Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc Semillon.

HAM FRITTATA

Ingredients
1 200g packet pre-cooked Hokkien noodles (can substitute with 200g of potato)
6 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoons olive oil
200g leg ham, sliced and roughly broken into bite size pieces
Extra parsley to garnish

Method 

1. Prepare noodles according to the packet directions and then drain well.
2. Place the eggs in a bowl, beat well then stir in cheese, parsley and garlic.  Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Heat the oil in a shallow non-stick 23-24cm frittata pan.
4. Arrange the noodles and ham evenly over the base of the frittata pan.
5. Pour over the egg mixture to evenly cover the noodles and ham.  Cook for 10 minutes over low to moderate heat, or until the frittata starts to set around the edges.  Remove from heat.
6. Place under a hot grill, and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
7. Run a knife around the edge to loosen.  Turn onto a plate, and then place another plate over the top. Hold together and flip. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve sprinkled with extra parsley.  Or serve and dish out directly from the pan. 

Pair with our Chardonnay or Cabernet Merlot.

HAM AND PINEAPPLE SLICES

This one is very simple but so tasty. 

1. Get a tin of pineapple slices in fruit juice or sugar syrup.  Slice up the ham to the same thickness as the pineapple.
2. Pan fry both in butter and your favourite oil to brown up and serve.
3. The ham is already cooked so just need to warm and brown it up.  Similarly, the pineapple is already tasty, just need to soften and brown up. 

Pair with our elegant Shiraz or Cabernet Franc.