April 16: Honey-Orange-Glazed Ham Steaks with Spicy Black Bean, Zucchini, and Corn Salad

   Zest and juice of 2 oranges
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon chili powder
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced into disks
1 10-ounce box frozen corn kernels
2 large ham steaks, cut in half
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
   Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

In a small sauce pot over high heat, combine the orange juice, coriander, honey, chili powder, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes, Keep warm.

Preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO. Add the onions, garlic, jalapenos, zucchini, salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes, or until the onions start to turn translucent. Add the frozen corn, stir to combine, and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.

While the corn is cooking with the veggies, preheat another skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining tablespoon of EVOO. Add the ham steaks and heat through and brown slightly, about 2 minutes on each side.

To the corn and veggie mixture add the black beans and the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock and cook until the beans are heated through.

To the ham steaks, add the reduced honey-orange glaze. Flip the ham steaks around in the glaze and continue to cook for about 1 minute. (If the glaze is too watery, remove the ham from the skillet and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes or until the glaze is thick. Add the ham back to the skillet to coat in the glaze.)

Add the orange zest, lime zest and juice, and parsley to the veggie and black bean mixture. Toss to combine. Serve the glazed ham steaks with a helping of the warm black bean, zucchini, and corn salad.

4 SERVINGS

This was a very delicious meal and a nice change from the usual chicken or beef. The glaze was good, but I added the part about cooking it more because mine was way too watery and I didn't want to waste all that honey and fresh orange juice in a bunch of water. It turned out really thick and sweet. The salad was good too, but my husband didn't like it very much.