Slices of ham baked with piperade, which is a Basque dish prepared with onion, tomatoes and, traditionally, green peppers. We actually prefer red peppers,
though, for this very old favourite of ours, one of the earliest dishes I learnt from my all-time favourite cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cookery”,
by Child, Bertholle and Beck, the book which taught me the most about cooking (my copy of which is now over 40 years old and literally falling to pieces,
but is still much treasured!). Fry thick slices of cooked ham in olive oil until starting to go brown and place in a shallow dish. Fry sliced onion, red pepper
and crushed garlic until starting to soften. Season well with ground black pepper, add a half glass of white wine or dry vermouth, together with 3 or 4 concasséed
tomatoes (that is - skinned , deseeded and chopped tomatoes), a pinch of dried chilli flakes and some chopped herbs – I used basil but thyme or sage also work well.
Cover and simmer until the tomatoes have broken down into a thick sauce. Pour over the ham, cover and bake in a 180°C oven for 30 minutes.
Serve with new potatoes and a green vegetable such as French beans.