- 6
- 20 mins
- 40 mins
Ingredients
- SAUCE:
- 1-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 celery stalk finely chopped
- 2-1/4 cups cubed baked ham
- 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/4 unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk. heated almost to a boil
- 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- dash of ground nutmeg
- dash of cayenne pepper
- ground black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup finely cubed Cheddar cheese
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- 1-2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 1-1/2 qt gratin dish or other round or oval shallow baking dish
2. In a small saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. When the foam subsides add the onion and celery and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the ham and saute until heated thru, about 2 minutes. Mix in the tarragon and season with pepper. Scatter the ham mixture over the bottom of prepared dish. Set aside.
3. SAUCE: Into a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes without browning the flour. Remove from heat and add the hot milk all at once and whisk vigorously to prevent lumps from forming. Return the pan to heat and cook stirring constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with the tarragon, mustard, nutmeg, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir in the cubed cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise; set aside 6 halves. Coarsely chop the remaining halves and stir in the sauce. Pour all but about 1/4 cup over the ham mixture. Nest the reserved egg halves, yolk side up, in the sauce, spacing them evenly so they indicate the center of each serving. Whisk 1-2 tbsp cream in the remaining sauce to thin it, then spoon over the eggs. Scatter the shredded cheese over the top.
5. Bake until sauce is bubbling and the surface is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes