Navarre-Style Spring Vegetable Menestra with Jamón Glaze

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Navarre-style menestra that celebrates peak spring produce with vibrant color and snap.
• A light jamón-infused glaze that coats every bite without feeling heavy.
• Restaurant polish with home-cook friendly steps, timings, and make-ahead options.
• Equally at home as an elegant starter or a special side to roasted meats or fish.

Grocery List

• Produce: Artichokes, carrots, asparagus, fresh peas (or frozen), onion, garlic, lemon, flat-leaf parsley
• Dairy: Unsalted butter
• Pantry: Jamón serrano, low-sodium chicken stock, extra-virgin olive oil, all-purpose flour, bay leaf, whole peppercorns, kosher salt, white pepper

Full Ingredients

Spring Vegetables

• 4 medium globe artichokes (about 700 g whole), trimmed to hearts and quartered
• 300 g carrots (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1 cm batons
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 350 g), woody ends snapped, cut into 4 cm pieces
• 200 g shelled fresh peas (about 1.5 cups; frozen peas work too)
• 1 lemon, halved (for acidulated water)

Jamón-Infused Stock

• 600 ml low-sodium chicken stock (2.5 cups)
• 100 g jamón serrano (3.5 oz), divided: 60 g for stock infusion, 40 g finely diced for sauté
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 whole black peppercorns

Glaze and Finish

• 1.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion (about 100 g), finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (8 g)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
• Optional: 2 tbsp dry sherry or dry white wine
• Ice water for shocking vegetables

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the artichokes and other vegetables

Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in the lemon. Trim the artichokes: snap off tough outer leaves until you reach pale, tender leaves; trim the top 2 cm; peel the stem; halve or quarter, and scrape out the fuzzy choke if present. Drop pieces into the lemon water as you work to prevent browning. Peel the carrots and cut into 1 cm batons. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and cut into 4 cm pieces. Shell the peas if using fresh.

Step 2: Blanch and shock each vegetable

Bring a large pot (at least 4 liters) of well-salted water to a boil (1 tbsp kosher salt per 2 liters). Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Blanch the vegetables separately to keep colors and textures perfect: artichoke hearts 8–10 minutes, carrots 3–4 minutes, peas 2 minutes (1 minute if frozen), asparagus 1.5–2 minutes. As each is done, transfer immediately to the ice bath to stop cooking, then drain well and pat dry. Set aside.

Step 3: Make the jamón-infused stock

In a saucepan, combine the chicken stock, 60 g jamón, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes to perfume the stock without reducing it too much. Strain into a measuring jug; you should have about 500–600 ml. Keep warm. Discard solids.

Step 4: Build a light glaze

In a wide sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the remaining 40 g diced jamón and cook 2–3 minutes until lightly rendered and fragrant. Stir in the onion with a pinch of salt and cook 5 minutes until translucent, not browned. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to remove the raw taste. If using, pour in the sherry and reduce by half, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in 400 ml warm jamón stock. Simmer 3–4 minutes until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon (nappe). Whisk in the butter off the heat for sheen.

Step 5: Glaze the vegetables

Add the blanched artichokes, carrots, peas, and asparagus to the pan. Return to medium heat and gently toss or fold for 2–3 minutes until hot and evenly coated. Adjust thickness: if the sauce is too thick, splash in more warm jamón stock; if too thin, simmer briefly to reduce. Season carefully with salt (remember the jamón) and a few grinds of white pepper. Stir in the parsley.

Step 6: Serve

Spoon the menestra into warm shallow bowls or a warmed earthenware dish. Finish with a light drizzle of good olive oil. Serve immediately so the vegetables remain bright and the glaze glossy.

Pro Tips

• Keep artichokes bright by working over a bowl of lemon water and trimming just before blanching.
• Blanch each vegetable separately so every piece hits perfect tenderness and keeps its color.
• Think “glaze,” not “gravy”: the sauce should just cling and shine. Aim for nappe—lightly coating the back of a spoon.
• Use a wide pan to maximize surface area; it helps the glaze reduce quickly and coat evenly.
• Season at the very end. Jamón and stock add salt, so taste before adding more.

Variations

• Vegetarian smoky menestra: Use vegetable stock and infuse with a strip of kombu or a few dried porcini. Add a pinch of smoked paprika or a teaspoon of white miso for savory depth.
• More spring veg: Add blanched fava beans or thin green beans, using the same blanch-and-shock method.
• With egg: Top each serving with a 6.5-minute jammy egg or a soft-poached egg for extra richness.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Blanch vegetables up to 2 days ahead; drain very well and refrigerate separately in airtight containers lined with paper towel. Make the jamón-infused stock up to 3 days ahead (or freeze up to 3 months). For best texture and color, glaze and serve just before eating. Leftover menestra keeps 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently over low heat with a splash of stock or water until just warmed through—do not boil or the greens may dull.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 270–290 calories; 13 g protein; 27–30 g carbohydrates; 10–12 g fat; 6 g fiber; sodium varies widely with stock and jamón.