Glazed Ham Steak

It's that time of year. The days may be getting shorter but a glance at the calendar shows an inverse relationship between demands on your time and the number of hours in a day. Scientists have yet to determine how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but chances are you have the precise number at your fingertips. Family, work and community all have claimed your time and won't release their grasp until the holidays have passed and the new year wipes the ledger clean. So, you take a deep breath and soldier on, simplifying where you can and smiling where you can't. We all share the dilemma. I've found it helps to keep weekday meals as easy as is possible. This is the time of year I dig into the freezer for soups and stews or thumb through the recipes that simplified meals when I was still working. Today's recipe is an example of an old recipe that is given new life at this time of year. It is not gourmet fare but it was created by Jacques Pepin, a gourmet chef if ever there was one. I found the recipe in his The Short-Cut Book which was published in 1990. It is for a ham steak that can be on the table in 15 minutes. It gets no easier than that. If, by chance, you don't like the glaze featured here, substitute a favorite of your own. The occasional use of a ham steak for a quick meal is what I want to emphasize here and the Pepin recipe is a great way to illustrate that. I hope you'll give it a try.

Glazed Ham Steak

Ingredients:

1 (approximately 1 pound) ham steak, cut 1/2-inch thick

2 tablespoons ketchup

4 teaspoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions:

1) Preheat broiler. Wrap some foil around a broiler pan and place ham steak on foil.

2) Mix ketchup, brown sugar, hot sauce, and dry mustard until smooth. Brush on top of ham steak.

3) Place pan about 5 inches from broiler element. Cook until sauce caramelizes and the ham is heated through, about 5 minutes. Yield: 3 servings.

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Two Years Ago Today: Chicken with Morels

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