Ham Salad

I like "meat salad" sandwiches, even corn-beef is good this way!
When you grow up in a big family on a limited budget, more likely than not one of those big picnic salads like potato salad or macaroni salad, is on the menu that week. Heck, we practically live on dad's potato salad and mom's tuna macaroni salad during the summer, even now, when the kids are all grown and at most there are only half as many of us at the dinner table. Here's one of those feed-a-lot-of-people comfort food salads that you can easily make with leftover ham. Ham salad. Put it in a sandwich, eat it plain, add it to macaroni; it's all good. The basic components are finely diced ham (I could have done a better job dicing the ham for the sandwich pictured), sweet pickle relish (must be sweet, not dill), and hard boiled eggs. Then something for crunch (celery and/or bell peppers) and mayo to bind it.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups finely diced ham
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp minced onion
• 2 Tbsp minced celery
• 2 Tbsp minced red bell pepper
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• A large pinch of cayenne (optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

METHOD

Mix everything but the salt, pepper and cayenne in a large bowl. Taste and add cayenne, salt and black pepper to taste. Serve chilled.

Serve straight, or mixed in with macaroni, or in a sandwich in a hamburger bun, a Kaiser roll, regular bread, in a pita or as a wrap. Good with lemonade on a hot day.

Makes enough for 3 to 4 sandwiches.