Miniature Corn Muffins with Black Forest Ham
From the book The Basic Gourmet Entertains by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart
| Yield | 50 muffins |
Introduction
Ham and corn bread, a classic combination, come together in miniature form. These bright yellow morsels look pretty on any hors d’oeuvre table.
Ingredients
Muffins
| ~ | Butter or nonstick cooking spray, for coating pan | |
| 3 | cups cornmeal (medium to fine grind) | |
| 1 | cup all-purpose flour | |
| 2 | tsp. baking powder | |
| 1 | tsp. baking soda | |
| 1 | Tbsp. salt | |
| ½ | tsp. freshly ground black pepper | |
| 3 | eggs, lightly beaten | |
| 2 | oz. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly | |
| 2 | cups plus 1 tablespoon sour cream | |
| 1 | cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted |
Sauce
| 4 | oz. dried figs | |
| ¼ | cup Dijon-style mustard | |
| ¼ | cup mayonnaise | |
| 1 | Tbsp. sour cream | |
| 1 | lb. Black Forest or other good-quality ham, thinly sliced | |
| ½ | small yellow onion (about 2 ounces), peeled and thinly sliced |
Steps
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter mini-muffin cups or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, butter, 2 cups sour cream, and corn kernels, and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into mini-muffin cups, filling each to the top. Muffins will dome nicely as they bake. Bake until just beginning to brown, 12 to 13 minutes. Cool for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Bake remaining muffins.
- To make sauce, place figs in a small mixing bowl, add boiling water to cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Mince figs and combine in a medium mixing bowl with mustard, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon of sour cream. Set aside.
- To assemble muffins, cut ham slices in half. Slice each muffin in half horizontally so there is a top and a bottom. Place about ½ teaspoon sauce on both top and bottom. Fold ham slice once or twice so it fits on the muffin bottom; ham will hang slightly over edges of muffin. Place 2 or 3 onion slices on ham. If onion slices are too large, cut in halves or thirds. Top with muffin top, pressing down slightly. Arrange on a serving platter or tray.
Notes
- The muffins can be made ahead and stored in lock-top plastic bags for 3 days. They can also be frozen for 1 month. Thaw before using, and refresh, if possible, in a preheated 300°F oven.
This content is from the book The Basic Gourmet Entertains by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart.
Copyright 2006 Culinate, Inc