Ham With Juniper-Cream Sauce
5
servings
Main
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
12
or so juniper berries
10
or so black peppercorns
2 tbsp
flour
4 tbsp
(½ stick) unsalted butter
1 c
dry white wine
4 md
shallots, finely chopped
¼ c
red wine or sherry vinegar
½ c
heavy cream
2 tbsp
parsley, finely chopped
Kosher salt
5
thick ham steaks (6 to 8 ounces each), preferably smoked
Despite the recipe’s name, vinegar is in many ways the spine of this dish. It’s the element that makes the other components stand erect. Choose a decent vinegar. Your ham will thank you.
Directions
- Crush the juniper and peppercorns with the side of a knife or a skillet.
- Make the roux: In a small saucepan, combine the flour and 2 tablespoons butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the flour begins to smell toasted and turns light golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Add half the wine and use a whisk to stir the sauce until it comes to a simmer and begins to thicken. Whisk in the remaining ½ cup wine. Reduce the heat to low and continue simmering the sauce until it has a consistency a little thicker than heavy cream. Add the juniper, peppercorns, shallots, vinegar, and cream and simmer until the sauce has a thick, pourable consistency. Shoot for a consistency that you like. Strain the sauce into a bowl, add the parsley, and season with salt to taste. Return the seasoned sauce to the saucepan and keep warm.
- In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. When melted, add the ham steaks and cook each side until the ham is warmed through, about 5 minutes per side. Pat the ham steaks with towels to remove any excess butter so the sauce will cling to the surface of the steaks. Place the ham steaks on either a platter or individual plates, ladle the sauce on top of them, and serve.
Scott Hocker
Scott Hocker is a writer, editor, recipe developer, cookbook author, and content and editorial consultant. He has worked in magazines, kitchens, newsletters, restaurants and a bunch of other environments he can’t remember right now. He has also been the editor in chief of both liquor.com and Tasting Table.