Baked Ham With Cucumber Tarragon And Mushroom Sauce Food

BAKED HAM WITH CUCUMBER, TARRAGON, AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a skillet melt the butter over moderate heat until the foam subsides and in it cook the mushrooms, stirring, until they begin to give off their liquid. Add the cucumber and cook the mixture, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cucumber is softened slightly. Stir in the chopped tarragon, the cream, and the mustard and cook the mixture until it is thickened slightly. Put the ham in a baking dish and spread it with the cucumber mixture. Bake the ham in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 10 minutes, or until it is heated through, and garnish the top with the tarragon sprigs.

BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place ham in a roasting pan, and press whole cloves into the top at 1 to 2 inch intervals. Pack the top with a layer of brown sugar. Pour enough water into the bottom of the roasting pan to come to a 1 inch depth. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil or a lid.
• Bake for 4 1/2 to 5 hours in the preheated oven (about 22 minutes per pound), or until the internal temperature of the ham has reached 160 degrees F (72 degrees C). Make sure the meat thermometer is not touching the bone. Let stand for about 20 minutes before carving.

CREAMY HAM & MUSHROOM PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to pack instructions, then drain. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6, then melt a little butter in a large saucepan. Fry the mushrooms for a couple of mins, then scoop out and set aside. Use some kitchen paper to wipe out the pan.
• Melt the remaining butter in the pan, then add most of the onions and soften for 1 min. Stir in the flour for another min, then gradually stir in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Increase the heat and bubble the sauce, stirring for a few mins to thicken. Turn off the heat, stir in the ham and most of the cheese, then season to taste.
• Tip the pasta and mushrooms into a large ovenproof dish, then pour over the sauce and mix well in the dish. Scatter over the remaining cheese and spring onions, then bake for 10 mins until golden.

EASY BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Remove as much of the ham from the bone as you can. Layer one third of the ham in the bottom of a 6 quart casserole dish. Top with a few pineapple rings and 1/4 of the brown sugar. Repeat the layers, ending with pineapple rings on top, but don't sprinkle the last 1/4 of brown sugar.
• Pour any juice left in the pineapple can over the ham. Then pour in enough of the ginger ale to fill the dish about half way. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar over the top.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Uncover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS WITH TARRAGON CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• First wipe the button mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Slice the morels in half first and check for bugs that might have crawled inside. If using fresh morels, wash them first; if dried you may reconsititue them by soaking them in warm water for 30 minutes.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a pan and saute the button mushrooms over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until done. Set these aside.
• Now melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan and saute the shallots over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add the sliced morels and sauted for a minute more.
• Reduce the heat slightly and deglaze the pan with the wine. Stir in the stock and cream. Add the tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Let the sauce bubble for a few minutes until it reaches the desired consistency, then add the mushrooms back in and heat through.
• Serve with crostini (slices of a French bagette, toasted).

HAM & TARRAGON POT PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a shallow casserole dish, melt the butter over a medium heat on the hob. Add the onion and celery, and fry gently to soften. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Slowly add the milk, stirring really well after each addition, making sure there are no lumps of flour before you add the next splash of milk. Once all the milk has been added, bring to a simmer to thicken, then fold in the ham hock and the tarragon. Season to taste, then add about half the beaten egg.
• Cut a circle of puff pastry 2cm wider than the top of the pan and pop it onto seal in the filling underneath, folding the edges to create a crust. Cut the off-cuts of pastry into rough strips and use them to decorate the top. Brush the pastry with the remaining egg and bake in the oven for 25 mins or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Serve with peas.

BAVETTE STEAK WITH CHIPS, TARRAGON & MUSHROOM SAUCE & WATERCRESS SALAD

Steps:

• Remove the steak from the fridge at least 1 hr before cooking and let it come to room temperature. The steak should have an even 1cm thickness, so lightly bash any thicker areas with a meat hammer or rolling pin. Scatter the salt over both sides of the steak and set aside.
• To prepare the chips, bring a large pan of water to a simmer and cook them for about 10 mins. Test with a fork after 6 mins - they should be very tender with slightly rough edges. If they're not yet ready, cook for the remaining time and check again. Carefully transfer to a wire rack using a slotted spoon and leave to steam-dry. You want them to be as dry as possible before frying.
• Next, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a small frying pan until foaming, then fry the shallots and garlic until soft, around 5 mins. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1-2 mins more until they release some of their moisture. While the veg is cooking, bring the cream and tarragon stems to a simmer in a small pan. Pour through a sieve into the pan with the mushroom mixture. Stir, then reduce the heat and continue to cook the sauce until slightly thickened and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• To fry the chips, tip the oil into a deep pan, making sure the pan is no more than two-thirds full, and ideally with a frying basket. Heat the oil to 180C. If you don't have a thermometer, you can check the temperature by dropping in one of the chips - if it sizzles immediately, it's ready. Deep-fry the chips in batches, making sure you don't overcrowd the pan, for 5-6 mins per batch until golden and crisp at the edges. Tip out of the frying basket onto kitchen paper (or remove with a slotted spoon) and leave to drain. Keep warm in a low oven while you cook the steak.
• Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high heat until smoking hot. Pat the steak dry with kitchen paper (the salt will have drawn out some moisture), then drizzle with the oil. Cook for 3-4 mins on each side for medium-rare, or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a board or plate and leave to rest - keep warm by covering with foil. Pour any resting juices into the sauce.
• Reheat the sauce, then, using a very sharp knife, carve the steak across the grain into 1-2cm slices (or four equal steaks, if you prefer). Drizzle the sauce over the steak, scatter over the tarragon leaves, and serve with the chips and watercress on the side.