Comforting ham, leek and mustard gratin
Dame Jen Greenhalgh shares a dish that brings everyone to the table.
Serves 4 hungry or 6 regular people.
Ingredients
1kg smoked gammon joint
700ml ham stock
300ml milk
100g butter
100g plain flour
3 leeks
2 heaped teaspoons English mustard
2 large or 3 medium potatoes - something like King Edward or similar
600-700g cooked gammon sliced
2-3 slices sourdough or other stale bread of your choice
1 x 130g bag of Coleman’s English mustard honey roasted peanuts and cashews (optional)
Salt to taste depending on how salty your gammon stock is.
Method
Take your gammon joint and place in a large deep pot. Cover completely with cold water and a lid. Bring to a boil.
Remove gammon from pot. Throw away the water. Put gammon back in pot, cover again completely with cold water, bring back to a boil. Turn down to a simmer. Cover with a lid. Cook for 90 minutes or so, turning over halfway through as the water evaporates.
Throwing away the first water makes for a cleaner less salty stock.
Once gammon is tender when pierced with a thin blade or skewer allow to cool in the stock, this keeps your gammon juicy and succulent.
Once cooled you can pop in the fridge overnight for some smart get ahead prep
Remove gammon from stock, remove the rind/skin with a knife and remove any fat from the stock if necessary
Slice the gammon into thin slices. Pop about 300g into a Tupperware or sandwich bag and stash in the fridge for the sandwich of dreams in a day or two.
Take the root end off the leeks and any rope-y outer layers. Cut into 3 inch pieces. Wash thoroughly in cold water, pushing the pieces apart like a concertina to make sure all the dirt is gone. Heat a small amount of neutral oil in a sauté pan to medium hot, add in the drained leeks, stir, cover with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes till tender. No need to season here as the gammon and gammon stock will be well seasoned themselves.
Tip into a bowl for later.
Wash and using a mandolin or ninja sharp knife slice the potatoes into 2-3mm thin slices and set aside
Put the oven on to 180c to preheat. You can also build this now and cook later. Be a make ahead hero.
Melt the butter in a saucepan till bubbling but not brown. Add in the flour and using a wooden spoon beat together to make a nice smooth roux. Cook for 2 minutes or so until a sandy texture. Slowly behind to add the stock. Stirring all the time, switch to a whisk if needed. Once it's all added and smooth add in the milk a little at a time until again smooth, simmer until a nice creamy medium thick bechamel texture. Add in the English mustard and whisk. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.
Meanwhile pulse the nuts in a food processor till slightly chopped. Tear the bread into chunks, add to the nuts and pulse into rustic irregular nutty crumbs.
Now for the build.
Get your best big deep casserole dish out of the back of the cupboard, the one you use for lasagne/moussaka/family Sunday dinner crumble. Rinse it, that dish is dusty.
Now starting with a few scattered leeks, then potatoes, and then the gammon, layer everything, ending with potatoes and putting a small amount of sauce between the layers. Poor the remaining sauce over the top, cover with the breadcrumb mix then cover the dish with foil and place into the center of the oven.
Cook for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and give it 15-20 minutes more until the top is well browned and bubbling. Test with a knife to see if the potatoes are tender. Give it 10-15 more if there's lots of resistance.
Once the knife goes smoothly through the tender layers remove from the oven and allow to rest whilst you make a quick and simple green salad to serve with. Or you steam broccoli or other greens. But in my opinion this really needs serving with a steaming side of freshly microwaved frozen peas.
Eat with gusto. Feel comforted.
