Suldalsskinka Wrapped Asparagus
This appetizer is so easy and delicious, I have no idea why I didn’t give it to you guys last year when I first fell in love with it. We’ve all had asparagus wrapped in prosciutto before, but I decided to put a local spin on this finger food dish by using Suldalsskinka, or Suldal ham, a local specialty from Ryfyflke, just outside of Stavanger. This ham is well known in the region for its lean texture and salty air-dried flavour. Suldalsskinka is a cured ham, which is dried and cured in the fresh air from the mountains and meadows approximately 650 metres above sea level at Mostøl in the Suldal Valley.
For this recipe, you’ll need to find the freshest asparagus you can, blanch it, then allow it to cool before wrapping it with the ham. Blanching your asparagus will allow it to stay crunchier than if you were to bake it but also allows the asparagus to retain more of its vitamins. If you are making this dish for a party, plan ahead and blanch the asparagus up to a day in advance, then assemble the ham wrapped spears just before your guests arrive.
- 450g asparagus spears or about 12 medium-size spears
- 6 slices of Suldalskinka, Parma ham or another type of cured ham
- black pepper, freshly ground
- olive oil for drizzling
- crumbled feta cheese for garnish
- Trim the woody ends off the asparagus & blanch in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly cooked, then place the spears in an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop them from cooking further.
- Drain the asparagus spears, then pat them dry before placing in the fridge to cool for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Cut the ham in half length-wise. Wrap the asparagus in the ham strips, then place on your serving dish.
- Drizzle with olive oil and top with crumbled feta cheese (optional) before serving.
More lovely asparagus wrapped ham recipes:
Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Recipe
Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
More on Blanching Asparagus:
Making Asparagus Better
Blanching Asparagus the Night Before
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