Holiday Test Run: The Vegan Ham Cutter – THIS SITE HAS MOVED

THIS SITE HAS MOVED TO WWW.ISLANDLOVEGOURMET.COM

 

 

Hey I have a new about me page click here and learn more about the crazy person that made this ham:)

This year I am going to take on the responsibility to make the food for this holiday season in Barbados. After my dad and I went vegan my mother was very supportive but was a little sad because during  the holidays the house did not smell like much. There were no cakes and no anything in the oven baking. This is before I became Caribbean Vegan and started making all the good stuff. So…many holidays went by with bean stews and stufff…not that anything is wrong with bean stews but for the holidays you want to eat things you do not usually eat in the year. When I was writing Caribbean Vegan I wanted veganize some classic mains that were not vegan and this is the first one I am working on. It is the Everyday Ham in Caribbean Vegan and what I did was steam it in a ball instead of a log, let it cool, made a glaze and put some cloves in it then bake it. I am planning to do at least a 5 pound ham and go crazy on the decorations. Both my dad and myself make beer glazes which consist of the local beer called Banks Beer but since I am not at home I made another one we do which is a pineapple molasses glaze and it worked out really good. It was not overly sticky and sweet and set well on the seitan ham. It gave a vibrant colour and I may keep this glaze for the final show down.

Here is my first attempt at my holiday seitan ham. This ham is home made and the recipe can be found in Caribbean Vegan under Everyday Ham. You need to form it into a ball to get this shape.

Vegan Holiday Ham

Salt Bread Copyright Taymer Mason 2010

Now you got over the shock or composed yourself from hysterical laughter or  got out  of the daze because it really looks like a ham lets get to the point to why I made this. I wanted to eat a ham cutter really bad and because I am not in Barbados anymore I cannot go out and buy Salt Bread so I knew I had to make the bread and the ham on the same day. Salt Bread is a Barbadian roll that is used everyday. It can be white or whole wheat.  I thought I had a whole 5 pound bag of whole wheat but I did not and only had spelt and unbleached so I did the traditional white one but I love the whole wheat.

What is Salt Bread and Cutters?

Salt bread is a guarded secret on the island of Barbados but you can find out how to make it in Caribbean Vegan. What I love about salt bread is the coconut palm leaf that is baked into the bread. I love love the smell this gives when the bread cools..it is very special

Here are some of the breads with the coconut palm. If you do not have access to coconut palm just cut a slit at the top of the bread. Salt bread has a soft crust that cracks a little and a pillowy inside. If you want more info on salt bread click here where you can read my older post as I do not want to repeat myself even if I am starting to in my everyday life (inside joke)

Link 1

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look…

Salt Bread Copyright Taymer Mason

So then I had what I will have on Christmas morning. The Ham Cutter which is a Ham Sandwich  with a dash or 10 of Bajan Pepper sauce. To be called a cutter it must be in a salt bread or it is a sandwich. The word cutter is pronounced cuttah and there are several cutters eg cheese cutter, fish cutter, egg cutter. There is no vegan cutter sold with any non animal product that I know of but maybe one day we will see seitan ham cutters in Barbados ? No?

Sorry for this pic…I never came across such an ugly but tasty ham cutter. I had mine with extra pepper. I wrapped  the other half and stuck it in the fridge and when I went back for it I jumped back in shock as I  thought there was meat in my fridge …I totally forgot about the ham cutter…and I am shocked I am getting freaked out by seeing meat  these days…maybe it is all in my evolution  as a vegan.

Bajan Vegan Ham Cutter Copyright Taymer Mason 2010

And if that was not enough ham shots for you here is a final look at the tester ham…it is going to be transformed and Taymered up next month. I am pulling out all my skills for this one.

Vegan Xmas Ham Copyright Taymer Mason 2010

Ok we are at the end of Vegan Mofo week 2

2 more long weeks ahead

I have to check my notes to see what I am making but I may do a macaroni pie, maybe a pudding and souse which depends on if I get a breadfruit from Guadeloupe as  St. Martin has nothing at all…I may do some cookies…I am not a big sweets fan but I have to make some for an event….I do not know  what I am planning I will let you know at the top of the week what we are doing for week 3.