Cooked ham smothered in a thick, slightly creamy port sauce. Can be served with rice, chips or just potatoes if you prefer.

This recipe I've learnt from my wife and she learnt it from her sister & mum. That side of our family are French so potentially this recipe has French origins, though it may be just a recipe that they've picked up and found to be really nice.

It's is basically formed from a water based Béchamel sauce, so not a true Béchamel. This is the most difficult part of the recipe. Other than that it is pretty much plain sailing, adding in the other ingredients and pouring over the ham, which is then baked in the oven.

Ingredients for Ham with mushroom and port sauce (2 adults, one toddler)

• 7 slices of ham
• 50-75 grams butter
• 2-3 tablespoons of plain flour
• 50-75ml port
• 400-500ml water
• 2 tablespoons of crème fraîche
• some mushrooms (depends how much you like them)
• 1 tablespoon of tomato purée
• Salt and pepper

 

How to make the ham & port sauce 

Preheat your oven to 200°C.

You'll need a saucepan large enough to hold a litre comfortably. Create the roux by melting the butter over a low heat, once completely melted at the flour bit by bit stirring vigorously each time making sure that the mixture is lump free. Keep adding the flour a bit at a time until you have a thick smooth paste. You now have a roux.

Add the water little by little, initially just a splash. Once again mixing quickly and thoroughly each time waiting until the paste or liquid has become smooth to add the next splash of water. As you add the water you can gradually increase the amounts each time, otherwise you'll be there all day. Don't be tempted to add it all at once, you'll end up with lumps.

Once you've added the water to make a thickish white sauce bring to a simmer stirring continuously, it should thicken more and you're look for around or just less than the thickness of a yoghurt. Once this is achieved add the salt, pepper, tomato purée and port and mix in well. Add you mushrooms and now your sauce is ready.

Roll each slice of ham and place in a baking dish, then cover with the sauce. Bake for around 20 minutes. Serve hot with your choice of side dish: vegetables, chips, rice, etc.

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