Ham Mousse With Red Pepper Salsa

 

I don't remember anymore when I made this , what I know is it was made for a party, it could have been a birthday party as when it is a B'day party I go the whole way, make dishes which are very special ( the ones you usually don't make) .
So ofcourse I would have decided what I am going to make for the party atleast a week before and as always I am excited when I make dishes which I have never tried.
The recipe is from Michel Roux The Collection I knew when I decided on this recipe that it will be super yumm as I have tried couple of the recipe in the book and it is always Delicious plus it always makes me feel why should I go out for eating it I myself can prepare something plus when I make at home I am 100 % sure that I am using quality ingridients etc....
This is what Michel Roux had written about this dish, "This simple, tasty mousee is ustic yet sophisticated - a real gourment dish.
Plus point or making this dish for a party is you can prepare the mousse the day before theparty;
I served them as a starter.

Mousse:
3 1/2 sheets of gelatine leaf
350 ml veloute sauce.
1 tsp paprika powder
800 ml whipping cream
350 gm good quality unsmoked cooked ham, diced
salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 tsp cayenne
50 ml dry sherry

To Serve 16 small asperagus spears
handfull of radicchio leafs
few drops of lemon juice to taste

Veloute Sauce: (Makes 1 litre )
30 gm butter
30 gm plain flour , sifted
1 lite of chickenstock
salt and freshly ground pepper

First make the white roux.
Melt the butter in a heavy pan. Off the heat add the flour and stir in with a whisk.
Return to a madium heat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring continuously.
Pour the cold chicken stock on to the roux, stirring all the time, then cook the sauce over a low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionaly with a whisk.
Season with pepper and salt to taste.

Red pepper Salsa :
4 red peppers ( capsicum)
Groudnut oil , to oil
2 small yellow peppers
2 small shllots finley chopped
2 small thyme sprigs, leaves only chopped
10 to 12 basil leaves, snipped
salt and freshly dround pepper to taste
125 ml olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons.

Using you fingertips, rub the peppers very lightly with oil. Grill them ( I did in the oven) untill the skins are blistered and backened.
Remove the skin from the peppers ( they will be hot so take care of your hands)
Halve the peppers, remove the core and scrape out the seeds and white membrane.
Dice  the peppers finley as possible and you can keep few slices in long strips if you like .
Add the shallots , thyme and basil to a bowl with the peppers , season with salt and pepper and stir in the oilive oil and lemon juice.
Mix carefully, taste and adjust the seasoning.
You can serve this salsa immedietly or cover with cling film and keep in the fridge for upto 48 hours?
If you have left over salsa you can use them with pasta too.

Making the mousse:

Soften the gelatine leaves in cold water .
Slowly heat the veloute sauce untill it just reaches simmer, then take the pan off the heat.
Throughly drain the gelatine leaves and add them to the sauce, together with the paprike.
Whisk trhoughlyuntill the gelating has melted.
Leave to cool at room temperature, stirring with a whisk time to time.

Whip the cream to a ribbon consistancy.
Put the dices ham into a food processor and whiz for 1 minuten then add the veloute and process for 2 to 3 minutes to make a smooth paste.

Gently foild the whipped cream into the mixture, with a spatual.
Season with salt and add the cayenne, then gently mix in the sherry, avoid over working the mousees. Taste and adjust the seasoning with pepper./
Scrape the mousse into a dish, cover the surface with cling film to prevent oxidation, then refrigirate.
( I made the mousse the day before)
Take the Ham mousse out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving.
Peal the ends of the asperagus spears, halve lengthways and blanch lightly, drain throughly.
Dress the radicchion simply with few drops of lemon juice. Shape the mousse into quenelles  ( I did ball using a ice cream scoper), allowing 1 to 2 quenelles per person and place on a serving plate.
Arrange the radicchio leaves, asperagus on the plates.
Spoon a little red pepper salsa over the ham mousse and serve with toasted bread slices.