Jambon Persillé

The Easter terrine of Burgundy: chunks of cooked ham set in a white-wine jelly marbled green with a great quantity of chopped parsley, turned out and sliced to reveal its pink-and-green mosaic, sharp with garlic and vinegar

Origin: Burgundy, France

From the journey of Parsley.

Jambon persillé, 'parsleyed ham', is the great cold dish of Burgundy and the traditional food of Easter, a terrine in which coarse chunks of cooked ham are set in a jelly made from the cooking stock, sharpened with white wine, garlic, and vinegar, and, above all, marbled through with an enormous quantity of chopped parsley. Turned out and sliced, it shows a beautiful mosaic of pink ham and translucent jelly veined a deep, vivid green, and the parsley is no garnish but a defining ingredient, used so generously that the jelly is more green than clear. Eaten cold with mustard, cornichons, and good bread, it is the dish of the Burgundian spring, made when the parsley is at its freshest, and a showcase of the French love of the herb. It is also a small monument to thrift, using the whole of a cooked ham and its broth.

Ingredients

Ham

1.5 kg unsmoked gammon or cooked ham hock, soaked if salty

Stock

1 onion, studded with 2 cloves
2 carrots
1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley stalks)
400 ml dry white wine (a white Burgundy)

Jelly

6 leaves gelatine (or as needed to set the strained stock)
2 large bunches flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 80g)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
0.5 tsp black pepper

Method

Put the gammon in a large pot with the clove-studded onion, carrots, bouquet garni, and white wine, and cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 2.5 hours, until very tender.
Lift out the ham and let it cool a little. Strain the cooking stock, skim off the fat, and taste; if weak, reduce it a little. You will need about 700ml of well-flavoured stock.
Soften the gelatine in cold water, then stir into the warm (not boiling) stock until dissolved. Stir in the vinegar, garlic, and pepper. Let it cool to room temperature but not set.
Flake or chop the ham into coarse chunks, discarding fat and skin. Stir the chopped parsley through the cooling stock so it is suspended (not all sunk to the bottom).
Layer the ham and the parsley-rich jelly into a terrine or bowl, pressing gently, finishing with jelly to cover. Cover and refrigerate overnight until firmly set.
Turn out (or serve from the dish) and cut into thick slices. Serve cold with Dijon mustard, cornichons, and crusty bread.

Notes

The defining feature is the sheer quantity of parsley; use far more than seems reasonable, so the jelly is deeply green. A naturally collagen-rich ham hock makes the best, most traditional jelly and may need little added gelatine. Serve as a starter or a light lunch, the classic Burgundian Easter dish.

The Gastrographer

Name: Jambon Persillé
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 1.5 kg unsmoked gammon or cooked ham hock, soaked if salty; 1 onion, studded with 2 cloves; 2 carrots; 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley stalks); 400 ml dry white wine (a white Burgundy); 6 leaves gelatine (or as needed to set the strained stock); 2 large bunches flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 80g); 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 3 tbsp white wine vinegar; 0.5 tsp black pepper

Mapping Culinary History

To explore — select an ingredient below.

To explore — select an ingredient below · click any location dot on the map for recipes and stories · browse the information panel on the right · trace the full journey on the timeline.

Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control