Southern Ham Salad
Some of my favorite recipes are recipes that have been passed down from friends and family. It seems that the very best recipes are kept secret, forcing me to use my own imagination to recreate my best version. That is exactly what I've done with this delicious summer Ham Salad recipe.
My brother Bunny lives in a small town called St. Matthews. St. Matthews is about an hour from Charleston, South Carolina. It is a quintessential southern town with a Piggly Wiggly, good restaurants, and streets with perfectly manicured lawns, beautiful old historic homes, and an American flag on each porch.
One of my favorite residents of St. Matthews is my dear friend Tracy Gore. Tracy is a transplant to the South. Born and raised in New York, she and her husband Denny moved down South after his retirement. They both had restaurant backgrounds and despite her northern roots, Tracy quickly became known around town as an outstanding chef, caterer and phenomenal restaurant owner and operator. More importantly than Tracy's culinary skills, she became known for her warm and welcoming hospitality.
Tracy's open-door policy and consistent table full of the finest foods in town kept her house full of people on weekends and weeknights alike. Two of my very favorite Tracy Gore dishes were both her Ham Salad and her Shrimp Salad (click here for this recipe!).
From graduation parties to bridal showers or even a summer lunch, these two summer salad recipes are perfect for any event. While I've recreated them with a twist of my own, I give thanks to Tracy for such a delicious dish! She's truly one of a kind and so is this recipe. She can bless your heart, hand you a drink, crack a joke, and console the loss of your dog all in the same moment. She is a true southern treasure and I'm thankful to call her my friend.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
2 scallions finely chopped
2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1tbs Dijon mustard
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
8 oz. smoked fully cooked ham - finely chopped
You will also need:
Medium bowl
Instructions:
Stir together cream cheese, scallions, parsley, Dijon mustard, pickle relish, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
Fold in 8 oz. of chopped ham.
Scoop onto bun to make a sandwich or use on white bread for finger sandwiches. It is also great served in a small bowl as an appetizer with crackers!
