Serrano Ham and Membrillo Crostini

Name: Serrano Ham and Membrillo Crostini
Prep time: 2 h 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 30
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 1 sourdough baguette, cut on the bias into 1/2-inch slices and toasted until golden brown; 118 milliliters membrillo paste, also known as quince paste; 1 bunches fresh mint, leaves only; 113 grams aged Manchego cheese, shaved into bite-size pieces with a vegetable peeler; 118 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil; 113 grams thinly sliced serrano ham, prosciutto, or other salt-cured, unsmoked ham

You can never have too many hor d'oeuvre recipes, so give Serrano Ham and Membrillo Crostini This recipe is typical of Mediterranean cuisine. Head to the store and pick up sourdough baguette, membrillo paste, olive oil, and a few other things to make it today. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Instructions

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath by filling a bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside. Blanch the mint by submerging the leaves for 10 seconds in the boiling water, then immediately placing them in the ice water.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Mint

Ice

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Bowl

Remove the mint from the ice water and pat dry.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Mint

Place the mint leaves and olive oil in a blender and purée until smooth. Set the blender carafe aside and let the oil steep for at least 2 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight container, cover, and set aside.

Ingredients you will need

Mint

Olive Oil

Cooking Oil

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Sieve

Blender

Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the ham in a single layer on it.

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Ham

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Baking Paper

Baking Sheet

Oven

Bake until the ham is crisp and golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Ham

Equipment you will use

Oven

Transfer the ham to paper towels to drain and cool, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the membrillo in a small bowl and stir until smooth. When the ham has cooled, crumble it into bite-sized pieces and set it aside.To assemble the crostini, spread a heaping teaspoon of the membrillo on each slice of the toasted baguette, then top with a few crumbles of ham and a shaving of cheese.

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Baguette

Crostini

Cheese

Spread

Ham

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

Bowl

Drizzle a few drops of mint oil on top and serve.Beverage pairing: Bodegas Martín Códax Albariño, Spain. Salty, sweet, and rich with flavor, this dish requires a wine to counterbalance it. Since the theme is Spain, it’s good to go with a Spanish wine, in this case a crisp, lemony Albariño.

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Albarino

Drink

Mint

Wine

Cooking Oil

Equipment

Ingredients

Servings:

sourdough baguette, cut on the bias into 1/2-inch slices and toasted until golden brown 118milliliters

membrillo paste, also known as quince paste 1bunches

fresh mint, leaves only 113grams

aged Manchego cheese, shaved into bite-size pieces with a vegetable peeler 118milliliters

extra-virgin olive oil 113grams

thinly sliced serrano ham, prosciutto, or other salt-cured, unsmoked ham

Recommended wine: Chianti, Trebbiano, Verdicchio

Chianti, Trebbiano, and Verdicchio are my top picks for Italian. Italians know food and they know wine. Trebbiano and Verdicchio are Italian white wines that pair well with fish and white meat, while Chianti is a great Italian red for heavier, bolder dishes. You could try Castello di Monsanto Il Poggio Chianti Classico Riserva. Reviewers quite like it with a 4.8 out of 5 star rating and a price of about 40 dollars per bottle.