Traditional Piperade with Bayonne Ham

A melt-in-the-mouth vegetable compote where tomato red meets pepper green. The moisture has evaporated, leaving a short, glossy, and creamy sauce that generously coats the seared ham.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 540
• Protein: 38 g
• Carbs: 27 g
• Fat: 29 g

Ingredients

• 2 piece Yellow onion ( thinly sliced )
• 3 piece Green bell pepper ( cut into strips )
• 1 piece Red bell pepper ( cut into strips )
• 6 piece Round tomato ( peeled and crushed )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Hot pepper d'Espelette
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 4 piece Egg
• 4 piece Bayonne ham ( thin slices )

Instructions

1. Vegetable prep

   Peel onions and garlic. Deseed peppers. Slice onions and peppers into regular 1 cm strips. Peel tomatoes and cut them into large cubes.

2. Sweating the aromatics

   Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add onions and peppers. Let them soften without browning until they become translucent and tender under the spatula.

3. Stewing the tomatoes

   Add tomatoes and minced garlic. Simmer over low heat. The tomato water must evaporate almost completely to achieve a bound and rich texture. Salt lightly.

4. Finishing and seasoning

   Stir in the Espelette pepper at the end of cooking. Crack eggs directly onto the vegetables and stir roughly so they create white and yellow streaks in the sauce.

5. Searing the ham

   In a very hot pan, sear the Bayonne ham slices for a few seconds on each side. The fat should become translucent. Serve immediately over the piperade.

Chef's tips

• Don't overcook the ham; it should just heat through to release its fat.
• If the tomatoes lack juice, add a small splash of water to help the stewing process.
• The secret is patience: the peppers must be completely meltingly soft, never crunchy.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator without the eggs. Reheat gently in a saucepan.