This is from chef Ian Boden at The Shack restaurant in Staunton VA. It was recommended to me by kayb at eGullet. It was delicious. It gets better after it sits overnight, so be sure to make it a day before you want to serve it. I halved the recipe � one quart of ham salad is more than enough for the two of us. The recipe includes directions for making his biscuit crackers, which I did not make, but would like to try making sometime � they sound really good.
1/2 lb. country ham, diced
1/2 lb. smoked city ham, diced
2 tbsp. butter, softened
2 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. whole-grain mustard
1 tbsp. sorghum syrup [I used Golden Syrup]
2 tsp. hot sauce, plus more to taste
1/2 jalape�o, minced [I omitted]
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 scallions, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Recipe
Pulse both the hams in a food processor (you may need to work in batches, especially if you use a mini processor). You want tiny pieces but not mush.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Fold in the ham and taste. Adjust seasonings, as needed.