|
I know a lot about it since I'm from that part of Italy and prosciutto is used in many recipes. First, there are different kinds of prosciutto (which is literally translated as 'ham' - in Italy, there is prosciutto crudo (raw, such as Parma) and prosciutto cotto (cooked, such as Danish ham and similar).
Within Italy, there are various types of prosciutti crudi. Prosciutto di Parma and its milder cousin prosciutto di San Daniele are both protected trademarks by the EU, in that only meats made within very specific Italian regions and with very specific swine and curing conditions can be called as such.
Prosciutto di Parma is made around the Parma region from swine that is fed on whey from the making of Parmigiano (parmesan cheese), among other ingredients. It is cured for up to 2 years under very specific climates and using only sea salt from the Mediterranean. We usually have prosciutto with some canteloupe or honeydew in the summer, twirled around grissini or as part of an appetizer tray of 'salumi' (that is, cold cuts). We also have prosciutto sandwiches (two slices of bread and prosciutto, sometimes with a little mayo, which is a bit more lemony in Italy.... yum! I had many lunches like that when I was a kid). If you buy a whole prosciutto, you will want to invest in a good slicer. Prosciutto is always sliced extra extra thin. You should cut away the outer layer and you should leave a thin margin of the white fat (which gives it a very exquisite flavor). As you cut closer to the bone, you can use chunks of prosciutto (which are harder to chew and thusly harder to eat) for cooking. You can make a great sauce for pasta by cutting the chunks into small cubes. Cook them at low heat and add a little heavy whipping cream. Let simmer and toss to pasta. You can also add some peas if you'd like.
I don't know much about the jamon serrano to be of help :(
|