30 April 2022

Gratin d'asperges, jambon, et pommes de terre

For lunch yesterday I made an asparagus and ham tarte (or gratin) with a potato "crust". Walt, who usually makes a pastry crust (pâte brisée) for pies like this, was busy putting up new curtains in our living room, so I stepped into the breach. He had cooked a dozen or so big white asparagus spears a day or two earlier and put them in the refrigerator. We had ham, cream, cheese, and what was left of a bag of nice locally grown potatoes.

     After peeling the potatoes and cooking them in a steamer pot, I cut them into fairly thick slices. Then I lined
the bottom and sides of a buttered baking dish with them. Over them I poured a custard mixture of
cream, eggs, and grated cheese, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a pinch of grated nutmeg.









Then I rolled bundles of cooked white asparagus spears (a local specialty) in slices of cooked ham. You can use either "sandwich" ham (jambon de Paris) or proscuitto-style air-cured ham (jambon sec) for a dish like this. You could make it with green aspargus, of course, if that's what you prefer.

     Arrange the ham-wrapped bundles on top of the custard mixture in a the baking dish and sprinkle grated Parmesan
or Romano cheese over them. Cook the gratin in a hot oven for about half an hour until the custard is cooked
and the grated cheese on top starts to brown. Serve hot — one bundle per person.

13 comments:

  1. Oh this looks so tasty! I never knew that sandwich ham was called Jambon de Paris! Good thing to know because I think I've seen that on labels.

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    1. It seems to me that we used to call this kind of ham "Danish" ham.

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  2. Yes, that Danish ham came in tins with a little metal key for opening. I think they are still available in the USA. Is the custard sauce like what I'd make for a quiche? I like the idea of potatoes for the crust.

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    1. I remember Danish ham in slices for sandwiches too, I think. I believe "Danish" is or was the brand name. The custard is a lot like what you use in a quiche. I'll post a recipe...

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    2. I put just shy of a cup of cream (20 cl), two whole eggs, and about half a cup of grated Cantal cheese in the custard. Then I sprinkled grated hard cheese over the top after setting the ham & asparagus rolls on the custard. Walt had pre-cooked the asparagus spears.

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    3. Thanks for the recipe!

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  3. very clever to use the potatoes like that

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    1. They needed to be used, and they are especially good potatoes. I hope I'll be able to find them again.

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  4. I love your creativity in making use of whatever's on hand. How do you cook white asparagus, same as the green?

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    1. The main difference between white and green asparagus, besides the slightly different taste, is that you need to peel the white asparagus before you steam or poach them.

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  5. Ken, I would like two bundles! :) That looks so good.

    It's Galestorm. It looks like I'm commenting anonymously?

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