Provençal Ham & Cheese Bread - by Mandy Jones

My sister, Mandy (with whom I teach cultural-culinary classes) ended up getting a copy of the Salad as a Meal cookbook and (aside from the socca and chicken salad we made together two weeks ago), her first go at a recipe was the Provençal Ham and Cheese Bread, which has been on my radar from the start. She has so kindly sent over her pictures and comments for blogging purposes.  In her words:

It was a cinch to make...took about 5 minutes to prepare and get into the oven.  I set the time for 25 minutes like the book called for but it took an additional 5-7 minutes longer.   We used low sodium ham because of my diet restriction and it was still yummy, but the lack of extra salty flavor was obvious.  Next time, I'll use regular ham.  The olives gave it a nice kick against the subtle Petit Swiss Cheese. For a little extra zing, my husband Brian added a splash of Tobasco to his piece. Because of its egginess, it seems like a breakfasty type of bread to me. However, I'm eating it for dinner!  And we're drinking a California zin with it... The Prisoner.  OMG...such a heavenly wine. It's so bold, but smooth.  Love, love, love it!  My new fav!!

Thanks Mandy, for participating in the challenge! I will eventually make this bread and will be sure to use regular ham. Also, I believe I saw a picture of a bottle of The Prisoner on one of my fellow blogger's site. Beth- from Dining & Dishing- apparently likes it too.  

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Salad as a Meal: Healthy Main-Dish Salads for Every Season [Hardcover]

RECIPE:

Time: Prep: 10 minutes / Cook time:  25-30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 non-stick rectangle bread pan
5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra oil for pan
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons fine sea salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
⅓ cup plain yogurt
5 ounces French Comte cheese, cut into ¼ inch cubes
5 ounces best-quality cooked ham, cut into ¼ inch cubes
⅓ cup black olives - pitted, sliced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F.  Lightly oil pan.  In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, olive oil & yogurt.  Stir to blend. Add the cheese, ham and olives and stir just enough to combine.  Pour the batter into the oiled pan. Place pan in oven and bake until the bread is firm and golden, about 25-30 minutes.  

Remove pan and place it on a wire rack to cool.  Once cooled, unmold and serve bread at room temperature. (Store at room temperature, wrapped in foil for up to 3 days)

Variations: Chorizo sausage, Manchego cheese & red peppers (Spanish)

Wine pairing: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris