Grilled Ham Sandwich with Brie & Roasted Black Mustard

This was a first attempt at finding a flavor pairing with black mustard. The idea was to use a sweet ham, a rich double creme brie, and contrast these with the acidic earthy punch of freshly ground black mustard. The black mustard seeds were toasted over medium heat in a dry skillet for about 4-5 minutes, tossing frequently to avoid burning.


The mustard seeds were ground in a morter and pestle, then this was infused with champagne vinegar and salt. The bread was special too, a whole rye meal bread that is very dense and sliced extremely thin (a German style bread I believe).

The slices of sweet ham were briefly grilled to remove some water, then reserved under a heat lamp. The slices of bread were brushed with grapeseed oil, grilled, and topped with the ham and brie halfway through the cooking process. The black mustard was spread before combining the two halves of the sandwich. The flavors worked well, the black mustard was intriguing, so earthy, but different from the earthiness of a mushroom, it was minerally, slightly picant but had a dry woodiness as the dominant flavor. This worked well with the ham and the brie, but be careful on just using a little else the brie will become overwhelmed.