Ham and Leek bake
How to make this delicious ham and leek bake, simple step by step instructions, from start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
- 300g / 11oz Cut Leeks
- 900g / 2lb Potatoes (thinly sliced)
- 300g / 7oz pulled boiled Ham
- 50g / 1.8oz Butter
- 50g / 1.8oz Plain or all-purpose flour
- 200g / 7oz Grated mature Cheddar cheese
- 600mls / 1.1pts Milk
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- To a sauce pan on a medium heat add the butter and let it melt.
- Now add the flour and give it a good mix for 2 minutes.
- Now add the flour and give it a good mix too
- Now add your milk in 3 stages, start with a little, switch to a whisk and mix it all together, don’t add any seasoning just yet, wait to see what it tastes like after the cheese has gone in.
- Once it’s simmering, turn off the heat, and add your grated cheese, switch back to a spatula, gently stir in the cheese until it melts.
- At this point, you should taste it for seasoning, add salt if needed, and that’s it, a beautiful smooth and silky cheese sauce, now cover the pan, and set it aside for now.
- Time to prepare the leeks and potatoes.
- Cut your washed trimmed leeks straight down the middle, and finely cut them as shown in the video, you need 300g / 11oz of the leeks when they’re cut.
- Time to prepare the potatoes, you’ll need to peel and wash approx 900g, that’s 2lb, of good quality potatoes, I like to use Maris Pipers for this dish, make your slices around 3mm thick.
- At this point, preheat your oven to 180°C / 355°F / Gas mark 4.
- In a suitable baking dish layer up the ingredients as shown in the video.
- Make sure you finish with a layer of potatoes on the top, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle a good helping of grated cheese over the top.
- Cover the dish with foil.
- Now the baking time may vary on how thick you sliced you potatoes, obviously, if you cut them thick, they will take longer to cook.
- A good rule of thumb, is to bake for 1 hour, when that time is up, carefully take off the foil while it’s still in the oven, and bake for a further 20 minutes, this will crisp up the top.
- When the time is up, remove from the oven and serve piping hot.
- Serving suggestions, this dish goes well with steamed broccoli and carrot juliennes, and a thick slice of crusty bread.
- Amazing comfort food.
- Enjoy.
Equipment & products used in my kitchen and videos
