The Ultimate Ham Cheese Food

GARLIC AND HERB HAM AND CHEESE SLIDERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly spray a 2 quart rectangular baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Add package of rolls to your cutting board and using a serrated knife (like a bread knife), carefully slice across the rolls, horizontally, keeping one hand on top of the rolls to steady them. Once sliced, keep the rolls connected to each other and lift the entire top section off the bottom section.
• Add the bottom section of the rolls to the prepared baking dish, and spread half of the garlic and herbs cheese over the cut side. Spread the remaining half of the cheese over the cut side of the top section.
• Top the bottom section with the shredded sliced ham, then with the slices of cheese. Add the top section of the rolls and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, add butter, shallots, parsley, mustard and garlic and melt over MED heat until well combined. Stir well, then pour carefully over the top of the rolls in the baking dish.
• Cover loosely with foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes, until roll tops are golden brown and cheese is melted.

ULTIMATE HAM SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread Homemade Mayonnaise (recipe follows) on a thick slice of crusty white or rye bread. Top with Bibb lettuce, sliced tomato, thick slices of leftover ham, a few dill pickle slices and sliced cheddar cheese. Spread whole-grain mustard on another slice of bread, then close the sandwich.
• Whisk the egg yolk, vinegar and 1 tablespoon water in a medium nonreactive heatproof bowl (glass or ceramic). Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring 2 inches water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Set the bowl with the yolk mixture over the saucepan (do not let the bowl touch the water). Slowly whisk until a thermometer inserted into the yolk mixture registers 150 degrees F, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Set the bowl with the yolk mixture in the ice water to stop the cooking; whisk just until the mixture is lukewarm (do not let it get cold).
• Put the bowl with the yolk mixture on a damp towel. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Combine the oils in a measuring cup. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle the oil into the bowl in a thin stream until smooth and thick. If at any point the oil is not emulsifying into the mixture, stop adding the oil and whisk to combine before continuing. Whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons water if the mayonnaise is too thick. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.
• Yield: 1 cup

RACHAEL RAY'S THE ULTIMATE HAM & CHEESE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Place a medium-size pot over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk the milk and mustard into the butter-flour mixture. Season it with some fresh nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook for about until it thickens up.
• Place four slices of bread on the counter. Spread some of the sauce onto each slice of bread, then lay down some ham, a couple slices of cheese, another smear of sauce and top each sandwich with the remaining bread slices.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. In a high-sided dish, whisk up the eggs. Dip the sandwiches in the egg and transfer them to the hot pan. Cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side.
• While the sandwiches are cooking, whisk the raspberry jam, white vinegar, EVOO, some salt and freshly ground black pepper in a large salad bowl. Toss the salad greens in the dressing and serve them up alongside the best ham and cheese you've ever had!

THE ULTIMATE HAM & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook butter and flour.
• Be sure an adult is nearby to help.
• Set a small saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and let it melt. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened a little and smells nutty, about 1 minute. Do not let it brown.
• Make the sauce.
• Add the milk to the saucepan and whisk very quickly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture gets very thick, about 2 minutes. Add the shredded cheese, nutmeg, and a sprinkle each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
• Build the sandwiches.
• Lay the bread slices in front of you on a work surface. Using a table knife, divide the cheese sauce between 2 of the slices, spreading it evenly. Layer a slice of cheese, 1 or 2 slices of ham and another slice of cheese on top of the sauce. Top with the remaining bread slices.
• Cook the sandwiches.
• Set a large fry pan over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Let it melt, then tilt the fry pan to coat it evenly. Add the sandwiches. Fry until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Use a metal spatula to turn each sandwich and fry the other side, about 2 minutes more. Cut in half and serve immediately. Makes 2 sandwiches.
• Variations:
• Ham, Cheese & Tomato Sandwich.
• Follow the recipe for The Ultimate Ham & Cheese but add 1/2 teaspoon dried basil to the sauce along with the cheese. Thinly slice 1 ripe tomato, push out the seeds and pat the slices dry. Coarsely chop 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves and sprinkle them over the tomato slices. When building the sandwiches, place the tomato slices between the ham and cheese slices. Follow the directions to cook and serve the sandwiches.
• The Ultimate Turkey & Cheese.
• Follow the recipe for The Ultimate Ham & Cheese but replace the Gruyère cheese and ham with cheddar cheese and thinly sliced turkey. Add 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard to the sauce instead of the nutmeg. Follow the directions to build, cook and serve the sandwiches.
• Ham, Cheese & Egg Sandwiches.
• Follow the recipe for The Ultimate Ham & Cheese. After you melt the butter in the fry pan, do not add the sandwiches yet. Instead, crack 2 eggs into the pan and fry until the whites are opaque and the yolks are firm, about 2 minutes. Using the spatula, place 1 egg on each sandwich on top of the ham. Top with the second slice of cheese and bread. Melt another tablespoon of butter in the pan and cook and serve the sandwiches as directed.

GRILLED CHEESE, HAM AND APPLE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread 3 tablespoons butter on 1 side of bread slices. Toast bread, butter side down, in a large skillet or electric griddle over medium-low heat until golden brown, 2-3 minutes; remove. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, Manchego cheese, onion powder and remaining 3 tablespoons butter. In another bowl, combine cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gruyere. , To assemble sandwiches, top toasted side of 4 bread slices with sliced Brie. Sprinkle cheddar cheese mixture evenly over Brie. Layer ham and apple slices over Brie; top with remaining bread slices, toasted side facing inward. Spread mayonnaise mixture on the outsides of each sandwich. Place in same skillet and cook until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, 5-6 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

THE ULTIMATE HAM & CHEESE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Place a medium-size pot over medium heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk the milk and mustard into the butter-flour mixture. Season it with some fresh nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook for about until it thickens up.
• Place four slices of bread on the counter. Spread some of the sauce onto each slice of bread, and then lay down some ham, a couple slices of cheese, another smear of sauce, and top each sandwich with the remaining bread slices.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. In a high-sided dish, whisk up the eggs. Dip the sandwiches in the egg and transfer them to the hot pan. Cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side.
• While the sandwiches are cooking, whisk the raspberry jam, white vinegar, EVOO, some salt and freshly ground black pepper in a large salad bowl. Toss the salad greens in the dressing and serve them up alongside the best ham and cheese you've ever had!

THE ULTIMATE HAM AND CHEESE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Toast bread in grill pan on one side for 1 minute.
• spread jam on toast.
• pile on pepper, ham and cheese.
• grill on a grill pan about three minutes on each side until golden.

HAM & CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the gammon, skin-side up, in a deep roasting tin, then pour over 1 litre water. Scatter over the peppercorns, onion, carrots and bay leaves, then cover tightly with foil and roast for 2 hrs.
• While the ham is in the oven, cook the cauliflower in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3-4 mins until just cooked, then drain well. Leave to steam-dry in the colander.
• Remove the ham from the oven, take off the foil and set aside on a large dish or board until cool enough to handle. Strain the liquid into a jug and set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut away the string and skin to leave a thin, even layer of fat. Use the tip of the knife to score the ham fat into a diamond pattern, if you like.
• To make the cheese sauce for the cauliflower, melt the butter in a shallow saucepan and stir in the flour to make a sandy paste. Slowly pour in 500ml of the reserved ham stock to make a silky sauce, then add the cream. Season with a grating of nutmeg and a grinding pepper, then taste to see if it needs more salt. Bring to a simmer and stir gently for 5 mins, then take off the heat and stir through all the cauliflower and most of the cheese. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hours.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Spoon the cauliflower cheese into a large roasting tin and bake for 20 mins until the sauce is bubbling and the cauliflower is tender.
• Heat the grill to medium, and nestle the ham, fat-side up, in the middle of the cauliflower cheese. To glaze, brush the ham fat with the mustard, then scatter over the sugar (don't worry if some goes on the cauliflower). Scatter over the remaining cheese (avoid getting any on the ham) and grill for 10-15 mins until the ham is glossy and browned and the cauliflower cheese is bubbling and golden. Leave to rest for 5 mins before serving.