Yam recipes

Shortcut quiche using condensed soup as the base, loaded with your choice of meat, cheese, and vegetables in a flaky pie crust. Endlessly customizable and on the table in about an hour.

Jerusalem artichoke egg rolls stuffed with sunchokes, ham, shallots, garlic, and chives, then deep fried until crispy. A creative fusion appetizer with earthy, nutty flavor.

Cuban sandwich meets burger: ground chuck patties stacked with Swiss cheese, smoked ham, dill pickles, roasted garlic mayo, and Dijon, then pressed on the grill until flat and crispy.

Spanish pan con tomate with Serrano ham slow-roasts plum tomatoes for a sweet, garlicky spread piled onto toasted baguette and topped with thin slices of jamón. A classic tapas party platter.

Beau's notes: * There are no "jalapeno beans;" there are jalapeno peppers and pinto beans. I have two recipes, both of which are quite tref, but a Catholic should worry? But if you are hosting a Jewish person, smoked turkey will substitute most agreeably for the chazer called for in either recipe.]

Tender cream cheese cookies studded with coconut and apricot preserves for jewel-like drops that bake up golden and soft.

A fast egg bake layered over store-bought biscuit dough with diced ham and two melted cheeses. Feeds 6, takes 40 minutes, and uses ingredients you probably already have. Weekend brunch, weeknight dinner, works both ways.

A variation of the classic french canadian pea soup.

Spargel in Weisser Sosse: German white asparagus in a creamy white sauce with julienned ham and freshly grated nutmeg. A classic springtime German side dish ready in 20 minutes.

A Midwestern classic: ground ham and pork shaped into a loaf and baked under a sticky brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar glaze. Savory, tangy, and sweet in every slice. Comfort food at its finest.

Shortcut quiche using refrigerated biscuit dough as the crust, filled with cheddar cheese, chopped ham, eggs, and milk. A hearty brunch or weeknight dinner ready in about an hour.

Light chicken and ham soup with courgettes, mushrooms, and a touch of soy sauce, thickened with cornstarch. A quick, low-calorie bowl ready in minutes.

Fiddlehead fern and ham casserole layered with herb white sauce and topped with buttered bread crumbs. A New England springtime comfort dish using foraged fiddleheads.

Escargots a la Cauderan: petits-gris snails braised in a ham, shallot, and white wine sauce from the Bordeaux tradition. A rustic French appetizer cooked low and slow.

Homemade grainy raspberry mustard with whole mustard seeds, raspberry vinegar, white wine, and seedless raspberry jam. A sweet-sharp condiment that keeps for up to a month.

Ham and corn chowder made with creamed corn, half-and-half, and butter-sautéed onions. A thick, creamy soup ready in 40 minutes with just 8 simple ingredients.