Editor's note: To continue where we left off, we have the how and the where of the Jam Jar Salad. Now as with all recipes this isn't set in stone, you could use the Asian Spiced Salmon recipe from the blog as I bet that would fit perfectly, or perhaps the roasted chickpeas - the world is your lobster. Pickled onions are in this editor's opinion, an absolute must though!
Method – The Jam Jar salad
Method
smoked gammon joint
Using a drop of rapeseed oil, seal your joint on all sides and slow cook in vegetable stock for 2.5/3 hours on low. I use the Knorr Stock Pots.
Once your gammon is cooked remove from the stock and take off any excess fat and rind and allow to cool. Shred the gammon – your aim is to create bite size pieces - approximately 2cms in length. You don't have to be meticulously precise - it should be easy to pick up with a small fork or spoon. Box and fridge until required. The gammon can be slow cooked ahead.
Potatoes
Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until a paring knife passes through easily. Cool the potatoes. If they have skins you may prefer to remove them. Halve the potatoes or quarter depending on the size of the potatoes. As mentioned above the aim is easy to eat with a small fork. I used 5 potatoes per person and chose the smallest and most uniform. The potatoes can be cooked and prepped ahead.
Sweetcorn salsa
340g tin of sweetcorn – drained and rinsed
half a small red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
juice of 1-2 limes
salt and black pepper
Tip the corn into a large mixing bowl and break up with a masher or a pestle. Add the remaining ingredients. Box and fridge until required. I used 2 heaped dessert spoons of salsa per jar. If you don't want to use fresh limes, 2 tbsps of juice is equal to one fresh lime.
Here's what it should look like :
silverskin onions
The onions are small to begin with but should still be finely chopped. I used 5 per jam jar – it's personal preference.
piccalilli sauce for drizzling
For those who would like to make their own sauce, there are recipes out there – for those who'd like a short cut – try this on for size. Bartons Smooth & Tangy Piccalilli Sauce.
All the elements for the salad can be prepped when it suits and non are time consuming.
Assembly next!
Lip-smacking Leftovers
I cooked all the potatoes at the same time which meant I had leftovers – I made the fastest potato salad ever. A touch of seasoning, a heaped teaspoon of curry powder – strength to suit your taste. A blob of mayo and a blob of sour cream, mix well.
You'll find that you have salsa leftovers too – as an alternative why not combine the potatoes and the salsa. Add extra seasoning of your choice – salt and black pepper – a touch of sumac to add a lemony hit with the lime in the salsa.
You'll find that you have leftover gammon – slice and serve as part of your alfresco “table”. If not required then I'd freeze it (in a lump if possible – it doesn't dry out) and use later as part of a pie filling. It may not qualify as lip-smacking – I just hate waste!
Assembly – The Jam Jar salad
This is the fun bit but before we begin a couple of tips :
for your piccalilli drizzle, trim a disposable piping bag – approximately 20cms – it should be small so that you can control it. You don't need a nozzle, just snip off the end of the bag – the tiniest of snips - and you're ready to go.
- Recently I bought a pair of small tongs – the type you would use in sugarcraft – now is the time they come into their own – you can spoon ingredients like the potato and the salsa but you might like to control the gammon and the tongs will help you achieve this so you can garnish your jam jar salad without scattering it all over the kitchen!
You are layering your prepared ingredients in the jar as follows :
Baby new potatoes
a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of piccalilli sauce
Sweetcorn salsa
Shredded gammon and a drizzle of piccalilli sauce
Finely chopped silverskin onions
It will look as if you'll never pack all the layers into the jar – yes you will! As you add your salsa layer press down, gently but firmly, repeat with each layer.
It does occur that not everyone likes the idea of piccalilli sauce. If you really don't want to step outside your taste box, you could substitute it with a honey and mustard dressing or another of your choice – plain mayonnaise if you prefer or check out Farringtons Mellow Yellow garlic mayonnaise – made with cold pressed rapeseed oil.
