I’ve been experimenting with more of my “ANTIQUE” recipes and having GREAT success. This recipe is also a blank canvas for getting creative. I had a large jar of pimientos that was opened by accident that I drained and added to the layers. I was also out of sweet onions so I used shallots and I used the cheese I had on hand which happened to be a garlic pepper cheddar and Gruyere.
SCALLOPED HAM & POTATOES another ANTIQUE RECIPE
5 medium potatoes
1 ham steak*
1 medium sweet Vidalia onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons WONDRA flour
1 ¼ cups milk, warmed, but not scalded
½ cup grated cheddar
½ cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 teaspoon Paprika
- Preheat oven 350°.
- Peel and soak potatoes for one hour.
- Drain and dry potatoes.
- Trim ham steak of fat and discard. Cut steak into diced size pieces.
- Spray baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
- Arrange one third of the potatoes in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Top with half of the onions and garlic.
- Top with half of the ham pieces.
- Repeat layers, ending with potatoes.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and turns golden, about 2 minutes.
- Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a SLOW boil.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in grated cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with the Paprika.
- Pour over potato and ham layers.
- Top with Gruyere cheese.
- Bake one hour until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden.
*NOTE – ham steaks tend to be on the salty side so use salt sparingly until you taste test. They also tend to be very watery. If using a packaged ham steak, be sure to “press” excess water from steak before trimming and dicing.
