Ham Rolls with Grapes & Tomato Cream Sauce
Submitted by nese
Ham rolls with grapes and tomato cream sauce is an elegant little main: thin ham rolled and warmed, then napped in a silky strained tomato cream studded with wine-poached green grapes. Bistro flair, surprisingly simple.
YIELD
4 - 6 ServingsPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
70 minA refined, French-leaning dish that looks fussier than it is. Thin slices of ham are rolled into neat cigarettes, warmed briefly in the oven, then draped in a glossy tomato-cream sauce dotted with green grapes.
The sauce gets its silky texture from straining. Shallots, tomatoes, wine, and cream simmer down, then pass through a fine strainer so the finished sauce is smooth and elegant rather than chunky.
The grapes are the surprise, a nod to the classic Veronique style. Poached briefly in wine, they stay plump and just-set, adding little bursts of sweetness against the savory ham and tangy tomato. The trick is not to overcook them, or they’ll go mushy and lose their shape.
The ham only needs a few minutes in the oven, just to warm through, so it stays tender rather than drying out.
Spoon the warm sauce and grapes over the ham rolls and serve right away, with rice or crusty bread to catch the sauce. It’s a quietly impressive dish for a small dinner.
Chef Tips
- Strain the tomato sauce for a smooth, restaurant-style finish.
- Poach the grapes only briefly; overcooking turns them mushy and they lose their shape.
- Warm the ham rolls just until heated through so they don’t dry out or toughen.
Variations
- Use prosciutto or thinly sliced turkey in place of ham.
- Add a little Dijon or tarragon to the cream sauce for more depth.
- Tuck a sliver of cheese inside each roll before baking.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add the shallots.
Cook briefly, then add the tomatoes.
Cook about 10 min., stirring occasionally.
Add 4 tbsp of the wine and cook about 3 min. Stir in the cream. Simmer about 15 min.
Butter a oval baking dish (a dish measuring about 9 x 12 x 2 in. is ideal).
Roll up the ham slices into cigarette shapes not quite 1-in. in diameter. Arrange the rolls close together in the dish, side by side in a neat row.
Melt the remaining butter and brush over the ham rolls. Set aside.
Put the sauce through a fine strainer.
Return to the saucepan and cook about 5 min. longer.
Meanwhile, place the grapes in a small skillet with the remaining wine. Bring to a boil and cook, shaking the skillet, about 3 min. Do not over cook or the grapes will become mushy.
They must retain a nice texture and shape. Add the sauce and bring to a boil, stirring.
Place the ham in the oven and bake about 5 min., just to heat through.
Pour the grapes and the sauce over the ham.
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