Ham Saupiquet

Photo by James Baigrie

adapted from a Saveur magazine recipe
by Kathy Lindenbaum

serves 4 as a light supper or brunch course

4 tablespoons red wine
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon juniper berries
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup mushrooms, sliced  10 ounces cooked ham, cubed
3 medium shallots, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put wine, vinegar and juniper berries into small non-porous saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat until reduced to 3 tablespoons. Strain out the berries.

Melt butter and saute mushrooms until lightly browned. Transfer to an oiled (with olive oil) gratin dish. Repeat sautée with ham cubes and transfer to gratin dish. Gently fry the shallots and garlic until golden. Add the reduced juniper sauce, cream, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened, around 5 minutes, then spoon over ham in the gratin dish. Cook in oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Garnish individual servings with thyme sprigs.

This can be the main dish for a light supper with an accompanying salad. As a brunch dish, it can be enhanced with an egg. Before cooking divide the Ham Saupiquet into individual gratin dishes, leave a slight impression in the middle and, after 10 minutes cooking in the oven, break a whole egg in the middle ofeach dish and return to the oven until the egg is set, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Or just add poached eggs on top of the individual servings. 

You can combine the ham with cooked sausage and bacon, if desired.