Packs of gammon steaks seem like a good idea until you attempt to cook them. The simple act of grilling, frying or boiling produces something like an unevenly cooked shoe. The method of cooking described below owes more to process engineering than culinary training, but spares the Cook from jokes such as "I see Nike have entered the food business" or "Is there a lace-up version?" The traditional slab of pineapple can be placed in centre, but mustard sauce is a good alternative.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
4 8oz (200 gm) Gammon Steaks
1/2 pint (250 ml) Mustard sauce (White Sauce with a level tablespoon of
mustard powder added to the flour).
Equipment
10-12 inch Ribbed grill pan, 8-10 inch Saucepan
Method
Place the gammon steaks in the pan, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Towards the end of this process, heat up the ribbed grill pan, these things only produce that attractive scorched mark pattern if the heat is high. Put the oven on a low light. Place the first steak in the grill pan, then flatten it by placing the pan used for boiling on top, grill each side for two minutes. Cook one steak at a time, keeping the cooked ones in the oven to keep warm. If you want to show off, rotate the steak though ninety degrees during the grilling, this will give a criss-cross pattern. Serve the mustard sauce separately so it does not hide the patterns.
Comment
The last ten minutes of this process is quite labour intensive, so serve with something simple like boiled potatoes and peas.
Page Created: 29th December 2000