Enjoy an inspired Easter feast with ham plus seasonal favorites that will impress your guests. The savory flavors of Roasted Ham Saltimbocca showcase ham’s versatility in this succulent centerpiece dish. Then, top it off with decadent dessert-like pancakes.

Roasted Ham Saltimbocca
Yield: 15 to 20 4-ounce servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About 2 3/4 hours

1      6- to 8-pound fully-cooked bone-in shank end ham, trimmed
1/4  cup chopped fresh sage leaves
4      thin slices prosciutto
1      cup chicken broth
1      cup dry white wine
4     tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 to 6 pieces
3     tablespoons all-purpose flour dissolved in 1/3 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 325°F. Position rack in lower third of oven. Place ham flat side down in a large shallow roasting pan and score a diamond pattern about 1/8-inch deep into any fat. Sprinkle all over with 2 tablespoons sage and season with pepper. Bake until internal temperature reaches 140°F, 15 to 18 minutes per pound total cooking time. After the first hour, baste with pan juices about every 15 minutes.

Remove ham from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and let rest 15 to 30 minutes.
While ham is resting, increase oven to 400°F. Arrange prosciutto on a baking sheet and bake until crisped, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Also while ham is resting, drain roasting pan, discarding liquid. Place pan on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add broth and wine; bring to a boil, and cook, scraping up any browned bits in the pan, until liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 4 minutes depending on the size of the pan. Reduce to a simmer and add butter and remaining 2 tablespoons sage, stirring until butter melts. Whisk in flour mixture and cook, whisking, until sauce thickens, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Carve ham and arrange on plates or a platter. Crumble prosciutto on top. Serve sauce on the side.

Pork’s Perfect Partner:
Here are three tasty ways to enjoy fresh spring veggies, such as asparagus:
1. Sautéed: Saute asparagus in soy sauce until stalks are easily pierced with fork (3 to 5 minutes).
2. Grilled: Fire up the grill and cook olive oil-tossed spears for 2 minutes for slightly charred asparagus.
3. Roasted: Drizzle on olive oil and add salt and pepper before roasting your favorite veggies. Toss into a 400°F oven for 15 minutes.

Tiramisu pancakes (taste like love!)

Cocoa-flavored batter and a mascarpone cheese topping make this not too sweet pancake a real treat to top-off Easter brunch. Whip some up for your guests and they’ll beg to come back next year.

For the pancakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
a generous pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cups sour cream
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons instant coffee

For the glaze:
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur

For the cream:
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions:
Start by preparing the cream and the glaze. For the cream, beat all ingredients together and whip until you have soft peaks. Set aside in the refrigerator. (Tip: this cream tastes amazing, and is what really makes these pancakes. If you like generous amounts of cream on your pancakes, you might want to make a double portion.) The glaze is optional, but very, very (and I mean very) good. Simply combine the ingredients well. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure the cocoa powder is well sifted, so that it will dissolve evenly.

In a separate bowl, combine the milk and sour cream until smooth (it helps to slowly dilute the sour cream with the milk while whisking, which reduces the chances of clumps). Add the instant coffee powder and mix well until dissolved. Whisk in the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing gently until you have a slightly lumpy batter but without any large clumps of flour. If batter is a little runny, add a tablespoon or two of flour. I like to transfer my batter to a measuring cup or something else with a spout, for easier cooking.

Let the batter sit while you preheat your griddle. When griddle is hot, drop batter in portions desired (1/4 cup for regular-sized pancakes) onto the greased griddle. When bubbles come up and edges look cooked, gently flip to cook the other side. Once pancakes are cooked, transfer to a plate. Spread a small amount of the maple glaze over the top of the pancake so it soaks in while still hot. Continue with the remaining batter until done.

To serve, dollop a generous amount of the cream in between layers of pancakes. Top with more cream, and then top with shaved chocolate, or a light dusting of sifted cocoa powder.

Serve with extra cream and/or glaze on the side for dipping. A bonus: these pancakes taste amazing even when cold.

Excerpted from www.ivoryhut.com