Jambon au Porto – Ham with Port Wine Sauce

 

A couple of years ago we went to see my niece in France and she made this dish on the day of our arrival. It is a French classic and there are numerous variations out there. She got this one from her mother-in-law and I had to get the recipe to take home with me. Since then, I have adapted this recipe slightly as I thought the original was too vinegary for my taste. I tried it several time until I had the acidity right for my taste. And I guess that is the nice thing about cooking - the little differences in everyone's taste buds. I also reduced the amount of crème fraîche by two thirds as I thought it is a bit on the fatty side, and I like some cheese in the ham, so taking it out of the sauce and stuffing it in the ham rolls seems to be a good alternative to me. But give this a go, it is easy and quick to make and still tastes really good. And I think the best taste is with a good Port wine in the sauce.

 

Ingredients for 4:

12 slices of ham,

3 shallots, chopped,

20g butter,

4 tablespoons tomato purée,

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar,

100ml crème fraîche,

salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar,

60ml port or sherry/cognac/brandy/whisky.

Method:

1. Preheat  the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Melt the butter and add the shallots, sauté until soft but not coloured.

2. Meanwhile, roll up the ham slices and place them into an ovenproof dish.

3. Add the tomato purée, cream, vinegar, salt, pepper, port wine and a pinch of sugar to the shallots and stir until smooth.

4. Pour the sauce over the rolled-up ham and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. Serve with boiled rice and a salad or green beans. 

Cook’s Tip:

• Take sliced turkey breast instead of the pork ham, it works well!
• Fill the ham with mushrooms - dice 500g of mushrooms and 1 shallot very finely and sauté the mushrooms with the onion, season with salt and pepper. Fill the slices of ham with this mixture before rolling it up. Or sprinkle with some grated cheese on top.