When I was a kid, mom sometimes made a casserole of au gratin potatoes with ham baked in. Delicious!!!
A few years ago, I discovered the deliciousness that is (properly made) cauliflower cheese, a very Irish-English thing. DIVINE when made with a sauce spiked with white pepper, Strong Irish Mustard and Kerrygold Dubliner cheese.
So I combined them for a low-carb version of that comfort food classic of cheesy potatoes with ham. Browing the ham and par-cooking the cauliflower minimizes the amount of liquid that will leech into the sauce. The extra thick sauce helps too!
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces cauliflower florets or 1 head cauliflower, stemmed and broken up
- 8 ounces ham, cut into roughly 1/2" cubes
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2-3 teaspoons Strong Irish Mustard or Colman's English Mustard
- 8 ounces Kerrygold Dubliner cheese, shredded
- 3 Tablespoons buttered panko, optional
Heat the oven to 375F.
Break up any large florets and microwave the cauliflower 3 to 4 minutes. Let sit so moisture evaporates while you make the rest. Arrange in a large pie plate or 11 x 7 baking dish.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until water cooks out and ham is lightly browned on all sides.
Remove from pan and add to cauliflower in baking dish, arranging evenly over the vegetables. Reduce heat to low.
In the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over low heat and add flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes, to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk, mustard and pepper. Start with 2 teaspoons mustard, and add more to taste. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce is very thick, whisking all the while.
Stir the cheese into the sauce and melt, one handful at a time. Keep a good handful back. Pour the finished cheese sauce (a Mornay, in classic French terms), over the ham and cauliflower. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and finish with buttered panko if desired. (I didn't use them in the pictured version, only because I, oddly, didn't have any on hand! But I will next time.)
Bake for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden. Let sit a few minutes before serving.
Leave the ham out for a delicious vegetarian main or side dish. You can also make this with any good sharp white cheddar, but I think the Dubliner adds a uniquely nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the ham and strong mustard!
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