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Company Ham and Turkey Bake

Source of Recipe

From "Pig: King of the Southern Table" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"There's hardly a meat or bird that Southerners can't turn into one casserole or another, and what better way to deal with leftover holiday ham and turkey than to combine the two in an elaborate buffet dish intended to serve a sizeable crowd. Of course, baked or roasted fresh ham, pork loin or shoulder, chicken, or even goose could also be used, and sharp cheddar cheese or grated Parmesan would be just as appropriate as the Swiss. For a more intimate gathering of family or friends, simply halve this recipe, choose a smaller baking dish, serve the casserole with a tart green salad and maybe some yeast rolls. Or, better yet, make the entire recipe, scrape part of the mixture into another small casserole or baking dish (without the buttered bread crumbs), and freeze it for another occasion."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter
â—¦ 2 medium onions, chopped
â—¦ 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 ½ cups milk
â—¦ ½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
â—¦ 5 tablespoons dry sherry
â—¦ 4 cups chopped cooked turkey
â—¦ 3 cups chopped cooked ham
â—¦ Two 5-ounce cans water chestnuts, drained and sliced
â—¦ 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
â—¦ 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Butter a large, shallow baking dish or casserole and set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat, add the onions, and stir till softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour, salt, and pepper over the onions and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the milk, stirring constantly till the mixture is thickened and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat.

In a small skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat, add the mushrooms, and stir till golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the milk mixture, add the sherry, turkey, ham, and water chestnuts, and stir till well blended. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter, toss well, spoon the mixture over the cheese, and bake till the casserole is lightly browned, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes at least 12 servings