Monday, August 9, 2010

Ham slices with delicate mustard cream sauce

This dish has amazing flavor and is my prefered way to eat ham. From Julia Child's cookbook

TRANCHES DE JAMBON A LA CREME
[Sauteed Ham Slices--Fresh Cream Sauce]


For 6 people:

2 1/2 to 3 lbs. cooked ham, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 Tb butter
1 Tb oil
A 9- to 10-inch skillet
2Tb shallots or green onions
2/3 cup Madeira or port and 3 Tb cognac
A wooden spoon
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Trim off excess fat, cut the ham into serving pieces and dry on paper towels. Brown the slices lightly on each side in hot butter and oil and set them aside. Pour all but a tablespoon of sauteing fat out of the skillet, stir in the shallots or onions, and cook slowly for 2 minutes. pour in the wine and
cognac and, scraping up the coagulated saute juices with a wooden spoon, boil rapidly until the liquid has reduced to 3 or 4 tablespoons.
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2 cups whipping cream
2 Tb Dijon-type prepared mustard mixed with 1Tb tomato paste and
2 Tb whipping cream
Big pinch of pepper
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Add the cream to the skillet, beat in the mustard mixture, and the pepper. Simmer slowly for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cream has reduced to about 1 1/2 cups and has thickened lightly. Correct seasoning, but do not oversalt.
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Return the ham slices to the skillet and baste them with the sauce.
(*) May be done ahead to this point.
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Shortly before serving, bring to the simmer, cover and simmer for several minutes until the ham is reheated and tender. Arrange the ham on a hot platter or on the bed or spinach. Spoon the sauce over the ham and serve.

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