Saupiquet des Amognes

Not yet written for this entry.

The Saupiquet des Amognes is one of Burgundy’s most distinctive and least-known dishes—thick slices of ham (jambon blanc or jambon de Morvan) served in a piquant cream sauce sharpened with vinegar, tomato, white wine, juniper, and shallots. The dish takes its name from the Amognes, a rural area south of Nevers in the Nièvre, and its ancestry from the medieval saupiquet (literally ‘salt and piquant’), a category of sharp, vinegar-based sauces that predates the French classical repertoire. The preparation begins with thick slices (1cm) of unsmoked cooked ham, browned lightly in butter until the edges caramelise. The ham is set aside and the pan is used to build the sauce: finely diced shallots are sweated in the butter, deglazed with 150ml white wine vinegar (reduced by three-quarters for concentration without harshness), then 200ml white Burgundy is added and reduced by half. Crushed tomatoes (200g), juniper berries (6, lightly crushed), a sprig of tarragon, and 200ml crème fraîche are stirred in, and the sauce simmers for 10 minutes until it reaches a coating consistency. The browned ham slices are returned to the sauce, warmed through for 5 minutes, and served immediately. The finished dish should be a balance of four elements: the cream’s richness, the vinegar’s sharpness, the juniper’s aromatic bite, and the ham’s savoury sweetness. It is served with steamed potatoes or fresh pasta to absorb the generous, piquant sauce.

Not yet written for this entry.