Ham in a Hurry

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Garlic Grilled Ham Steak With Apricot Brown Sauce

Sweet peas

Buttered new potatoes with fresh chopped basil

Potato rolls

Lemon meringue pie

Nothing looks as festive on the Easter table as a big, beautifully glazed ham. But if you have only a few guests to feed--and you don’t want to spend all day watching over a huge hunk of meat--there’s always ham steak.

Taken from the center portion of a whole ham, the steaks are pre-cut and packaged into 1/2- to 3/4-inch slices. Some butchers might sell you a portion thick enough to serve a few guests with a few slices leftover for sandwiches: A 1 1/2-inch-thick cut that can be carved into crosswise slices at serving is ideal for our grilled ham steak with apricots.

Sweet enough to balance the salty flavor of the meat, apricots are just tangy enough to make the ham interesting. Rub the steak with garlic and then grill it on an outdoor barbecue or an indoor stovetop grill. The ham may also simply be broiled in the oven. Since the ham is already precooked, watch that it doesn’t overcook to dryness.

Staples

3 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 to 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Salt, pepper

Homemade chicken broth, if available

Shopping

1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) cooked bone-in ham steak (or few thinner steaks)

1 small piece ginger root

1 (1-pound 9-ounce) jar apricot halves in light syrup

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can clear chicken broth

Optional Shopping

Sugar snap peas

New Potatoes

Basil

Potato rolls

Lemon meringue pie

GARLIC GRILLED HAM STEAK WITH APRICOT BROWN SAUCE

1 small piece ginger root

3 cloves garlic

1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) cooked bone-in ham steak (or few thinner steaks)

1 tablespoon butter

1 (1-pound 9-ounce) jar apricot halves in light syrup

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) brown sugar, packed

Salt, pepper

Peel ginger, mince 1 teaspoon and set aside.

Mince garlic. Rub 2 cloves minced garlic over both sides of ham.

Grill on top of stove or broil until ham is browned and heated through. Keep warm in oven while preparing sauce.

Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and remaining garlic and saute lightly. Drain apricots, reserving 1/2 cup syrup. Add syrup to ginger and garlic. Pour chicken broth into broiler pan to deglaze (scrape up browned bits), then stir into sauce. Stir in brown sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add apricots to sauce and heat to serving temperature. Serve with ham. Makes 4 servings.