INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup shallots, chopped
• 2 ½ cups diced ham
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (plus more to taste)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or more to taste
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise or more to bind
• ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickles, sweet pickles, or cornichones (optional)
• 1 tablespoon or more leftover maple/mustard sauce (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Put in mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Put the ham into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse the ham until it’s roughly chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the shallots along with the celery, parsley, horseradish, mustard, mayonnaise, and the optional pickles. Taste for seasonings. Add the optional maple/mustard sauce. Add more horseradish, mustard, pepper or maple/mustard sauce to taste and add more mayonnaise if the mixture seems to dry.

3. Pack the deviled ham into an attractive serving bowl or crock and serve at room temperature with toasted rye, crostini, or crackers, or piped into celery sticks – or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Let sit out for 30 minutes before serving if taken right from the refrigerator.

MAKES 3 CUPS, ENOUGH FOR 12 WITH CRACKERS OR CROSTINI