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'Wich of the Week: Honey Baked Ham and Cabbage Reuben

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:15:14 -0700

I love celebrating Easter, mainly because it means I get to make sandwiches with the leftover ham. This year, I decided to come up with a new sandwich that satisfies all year round.

I had way too much cabbage, but I didn't want to go to the trouble of cooking it, so I came up with the idea of pressing it raw into a panini. Low and behold, it worked. With Swiss cheese, the result was something like an earthier, crunchier Reuben with honey baked ham standing in for the usual salty-sweet combo of corned beef and Thousand Island dressing. To see how I made it and get the recipe, read more.

When assembling, be sure to put the ham down first, then the pickles; on the first try, I put the pickles directly on the bread, which caused tragic sogginess once it hit the panini maker. This sandwich would also probably work in the oven, but I recommend the panini press in order to thoroughly cook the cabbage.

Honey Baked Ham and Cabbage Reuben
Original recipe

Ingredients

1 cup raw cabbage, cut into strips
4 slices wheat bread
4 teaspoons spicy mustard
6 slices Honey Baked Ham or similar
12 sandwich-size bread and butter pickle slices
1 tablespoon salt
2 slices Swiss cheese

Directions

Prepare the cabbage: place in a colander and salt generously. Place the colander over a bowl and allow the cabbage to "sweat" for at least one hour or as long as overnight. Rinse and pat dry.
Heat a panini press to medium.
To make each sandwich, spread 1 teaspoon of the mustard on one slice of bread and cover with ham. Top with 6 pickle slices, followed by half the cabbage.
Spread mustard on the second slice of bread, lay swiss cheese over cabbage, and place second slice mustard-side down on cheese.
Heat in the panini maker until cabbage is just wilted and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Cut in half and serve immediately.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

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'Wich of the Week: Spanish Monte Cristo

partysugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:08 -0700

I'm not much of a Monte Cristo fan. The classic sandwich straddles breakfast and lunch by placing ham, turkey, and cheese between two slices of French toast. The entire thing is topped with powdered sugar and jam resulting in a dish that to me, is messy and too sweet.

However, when I came across this Serrano ham and manchego cheese variation, my love for all things Spanish overcame me, and I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did, this sandwich is wonderful!

The quince paste isn't as cloying as strawberry preserves and the addition of mustard provides a delightfully savory tang. Although the bread is dipped in egg before being placed in the saute pan, it tastes more like a really crispy grilled ham and cheese than French toast. To check out the recipe, read more.

Spanish Ham and Cheese Monte Cristo Sandwiches
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough or country-style French bread (each about 5 x 3 inches)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced
2 ounces thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto
4 tablespoons membrillo (quince paste) or quince preserves
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

Directions

Arrange 4 bread slices on work surface. Spread each with 1/2 tablespoon mustard. Top each with 1/4 of cheese, then 1/4 of ham, folding to fit.
Spread 1 tablespoon quince paste on each of remaining 4 bread slices; place bread, paste side down, atop ham.
Beat eggs in pie dish until well blended.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large skillets over medium-low heat.
Working with 1 sandwich at a time, hold sandwiches tightly closed and dip into beaten eggs to coat on all sides. Place 2 sandwiches in each skillet.
Cover and cook until bottoms are golden, about 4 minutes. Turn sandwiches over. Cover and cook until bottoms are golden, cheese is melted, and egg coating is cooked through, about 4 minutes longer.

Serves 4.

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Sunday Dinner: Asparagus-Ham Lasagna

YumSugar — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:00:35 -0700

If you don't have elaborate plans for tonight but are still looking to celebrate Easter in a special way, then this festive lasagna is calling your name. Not only is this contemporary twist on the traditional Italian staple a cinch to make, but it also couldn't be more seasonally appropriate with ham and our favorite Spring vegetable, asparagus. Ring in the holiday when you read more.

Asparagus-Ham Lasagna
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound lasagna noodles
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup flour
4 1/2 cups milk
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound deli-sliced baked ham, cut into 1/2-inch ribbons

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus until just tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to a strainer. Return the water to a boil, add the lasagna and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a platter.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in half of the parmesan and half of the nutmeg; season with salt and pepper.
Spread about 1/3 cup of the cheese sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer 4 noodles on the sauce and top with 3/4 cup cheese sauce. Sprinkle a quarter of the ham, a quarter of the asparagus, and 3 tablespoons of the remaining parmesan over the sauce. Repeat the layering process three more times. Top with the remaining noodles, cheese sauce, parmesan and nutmeg. Cover with foil and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes more. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

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Sunday Dinner: Ginger-Aled Ham

partysugar — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:28:51 -0700

Nothing says Easter dinner more than a delicious baked ham. There are many liquids that you could glaze an Easter ham with - whiskey, coke, orange juice, etc. - but this recipe uses ginger ale. Isn't it a fun name? I want to make this ham because Ginger-Aled Ham sounds so delicious. Not to mention that brown sugar and mustard enhance the glaze resulting in a ham that is succulent and delicious. To get the recipe, read more.

Ginger-Aled Ham
From Real Simple magazine

Ingredients

1 1 1/2-pound fully cooked boneless ham
1 12-ounce can ginger ale
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
6 medium red potatoes, peeled (if desired) and quartered
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Cheddar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Directions

Heat oven according to the directions on the ham package.
Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan and pour the ginger ale over the top. Cover the pan with foil and bake according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and mustard. About 20 minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil and spoon the mustard mixture over the ham. Continue to bake, uncovered.
Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
Drain, then return the potatoes to pot. Add the butter, sour cream, Cheddar, pepper, and the remaining salt to the potatoes and roughly mash. Cover to keep warm until the ham is done.
Slice the ham, spoon the pan juices over it, and serve with the potatoes. Sprinkle with the parsley, if desired.

Serves 4.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 1057.03(45% from fat); FAT 53.33g (sat 25.65g); PROTEIN 54.99mg; CHOLESTEROL 170.46mg; CALCIUM 252mg; SODIUM 3205.37mg; FIBER 4.74g; CARBOHYDRATE 93.3g; IRON 4.23mg

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Perfect Holiday Appetizer: Ham and Cheese Thumbprints

partysugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:17:29 -0800

I love recipes that take simple, classic ingredients - in this case ham and cheese - and recreate them into something sophisticated and elegant. This recipe also uses a technique normally reserved for sweets (jam-filled thumbprint cookies) and applies it to savory components. The end result is an appetizer that is scrumptious, innovative, and delightfully balanced. It's crisp on the outside, light and puffy on the inside, delicately cheesy, and subtly porky. Don't be intimidated by the dough, it's incredibly easy to make. I opted not to pipe mine and instead made circular mounds. Once you have the mastered the procedure, the recipe is highly versatile. I plan on experimenting with several variations: substituting herbs for the ham and pepper jack cheese for the gruyere. To look at the basic recipe, read more.

Ham and Cheese Thumbprints
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into large pieces
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped or ground Black Forest ham (2 ounces)
1 cup finely shredded Gruyere cheese, plus 36 cubes (1/2 inch) for centers (8 ounces total)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring butter, salt, and the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add flour; stir vigorously until incorporated. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture pulls away from sides of pan and a thin film forms on bottom of pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 2 minutes.

Transfer dough to a large bowl; add eggs 1 at a time, beating with a wooden spoon to incorporate each before adding the next, about 2 minutes. Stir in pepper, ham, and shredded cheese.

Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. On baking sheets lined with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper, pipe rosettes (each 1 1/2 inches wide), 2 inches apart. Make a deep indentation at the center of each with your thumb (dampen thumb to keep it from sticking to dough). Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until crisp and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from oven; press a cheese cube in each indentation. Continue baking until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 3 dozen.

Make ahead: The thumbprints can be partially prepared ahead and then frozen. Form and bake thumbprints as directed in steps 1 to 4. Transfer to wire racks to cool before inserting cheese cubes; place on clean baking sheets, and freeze until firm, about one hour, before freezing in airtight containers, up to six weeks. To serve, remove from freezer and bake (without thawing) in a 425-degree oven for about 15 minutes.

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'Wich of the Week: Easter Ham Slider

YumSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:20:19 -0700

One of my favorite things about major holiday feasts is getting to make sandwiches with the leftovers. But while the post-Thanksgiving sandwich is probably the most popular, I think Easter is underrated in this regard. So for this 'Wich of the Week, I thought I'd do something a bit different and show you how I transformed my Easter ham and side dishes into a sandwich.

This probably isn't a sandwich you'd make from scratch - the individual components are fairly time intensive - but it would be delicious if you did. Or, you can easily re-create the meal and use the leftovers to make your own sandwich. To see how the meal became a sandwich, and to get the recipes, read more.

My Easter meal involved a precooked spiral-cut ham, celery-root puree, and cabbage with candied pecans, all of which made their way onto this sandwich. I served it on one of the dinner rolls my friend made from scratch, to create a sort of Easter slider.

To make the sandwich, I sliced the roll in half horizontally, then spread the celery-root puree on either side, like a condiment. Then I added a few slices of ham, topped by a bit of the cabbage; the cabbage and puree recipes are below.

Celery Root Puree
Modified From Bon Appetit

I modified this recipe just slightly by replacing the water with vegetable broth.

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon salt
2 large celery roots (about 2 1/2 pounds total), peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 medium russet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 small onion, peeled, quartered
5 tablespoons butter, cut into 5 pieces
Ground white pepper
Chopped fresh chives

Directions
Bring milk, vegetable broth, and salt just to boil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Add celery root cubes, potato cubes, and onion quarters; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, discarding cooking liquid.

Combine vegetables and butter in processor and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. (Do ahead: Celery root puree can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm in microwave before serving.)

Transfer celery root puree to bowl. Sprinkle with chopped fresh chives and serve.

Serves 8.

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Cabbage With Candied Pecans
Original Recipe

Ingredients

1 head of green cabbage, shredded
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup unfiltered apple juice or apple cider
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

First, cook the pecans: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over low heat. Add pecans and sautee, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until they just start to brown.
Add 3 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Continue stirring until sugar melts and pecans are coated and glazed. Remove from heat, let cool on parchment paper.
In a separate skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the apple juice or cider, followed by the shredded cabbage.
Cook cabbage for about 10 minutes or until it wilts and turns a vivid green. Then add 1 teaspoon salt, plus pepper to taste.
Add pecans and fresh thyme, toss with cabbage, and stir for an additional 2 minutes. Drain off any remaining liquid and serve.

Serves 8.

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'Wich of the Week: Ham and Swiss on Dutch Crunch

YumSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:15:09 -0700

San Francisco's Roxie Food Center is an unassuming corner store, located on an unlikely residential block, that's rumored to have remarkable sandwiches. I've been meaning to try it for months, so a few weeks ago I made a special trip just to get my jaws around one these sammies.

Though the store has all the usual varieties of bread and cold cuts, I'd heard great things about the Dutch crunch rolls, which are topped with a sugary, salty crust. The mere thought of the salty-sweet bread combined with jalapeños and pickles made my mouth water, so I ordered a ham and swiss sandwich, dressed with everything and warmed in the oven. For the rest of my Roxie sandwich adventure, read more.

My friend got the Simon Special, with pastrami, turkey, and cheddar (see above), and we took our enormous paper-wrapped meals to a nearby park. (There's just something extra tasty about a sandwich wrapped in paper, isn't there?) The rolls were so decadent, it was almost like eating a pastry, but the sweet, crunchy roll melded perfectly with the massive stack of ingredients.

In fact, these sandwiches were so packed with different flavors and textures - shredded iceberg lettuce, pickles, jalapeños, tomatoes, and onions - that it was impossible to distinguish one taste from the other. Just like a great sandwich should, the Roxie transformed a bunch of disparate flavors into one novel (and delicious) taste.

If you're ever in SF, I highly recommend this hidden convenience store gem. But even if you're not, this is a relatively simple sandwich; re-creating it is all about getting the right ratio of ingredients. I've tried my best to replicate the recipe below, so if you try it, let me know what you think.

Ham and Swiss on Dutch Crunch
Inspired by the Roxie Food Center

Ingredients

1 Dutch crunch roll
4 slices of cold-cut ham
3 slices of tomato
4-6 jalapeño pepper slices (canned, not fresh)
4-6 dill pickle sandwich slices
1/4 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/8 cup red onion, thinly sliced
2-3 slices of swiss cheese
Yellow mustard and mayonnaise, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slice Dutch crunch roll in half horizontally, and coat the inside of the roll on both sides with yellow mustard and mayo.
On the bottom of the roll, arrange the cold-cut ham, and top with tomato, jalapeno, and pickles.
On top of that layer, place the shredded lettuce, followed by the onion slices.
Top all ingredients with the sliced swiss cheese, and place the top half of the roll down onto the stack of fixings.
Place the entire sandwich in the oven for 5 minutes, or until roll is crisped and cheese is just melted. Remove from heat, cut in half, and serve immediately.

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Come Party With Me: Potluck - Menu

partysugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:18:31 -0800

After New Year's, the last thing I feel like doing is planning another huge party. However, I want to get all of my friends together for a family style dinner, so I've decided to do a potluck. Hosting a potluck is a no-fuss way to throw a party. Start by downloading and filling in our potluck invite. Ask or assign guests to bring a side, salad, pasta, appetizer, or dessert. If one friend loves to bake, ask her to bring a dessert. Likewise, if another friend is plagued with chronic lateness, don't appoint him an appetizer.

As the hostess you should supply the main dish. A delicious citrus glazed ham will feed a crowd and is simple to make. Also, make an appetizer so when guests arrive they have something to nibble on. Little mushroom tarts are bite sized pastries that will have your guests licking their fingers. For these recipes please, read more.

Baked Ham with Citrus-Rum Glaze
From Emeril Lagasse

For the glaze:
3 cups orange juice
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 orange, zested
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum
For the ham:
1 (8 to 10-pound) fresh ham, shank end, bone-in and skin-on
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Make the glaze by combining the orange juice, brown sugar, orange zest, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves and allspice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
Continue to cook at a brisk simmer until the mixture has reduced in volume to just over 1 cup and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the rum, and set aside to cool.
Remove the ham from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking. While the ham is still cold, using a sharp knife, score the skin of the ham, making a diamond-pattern through the skin and fat about 1/2-inch deep.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Using your hands, rub the salt, Essence, and pepper evenly over the entire surface of the ham.
Place the ham in a large roasting pan and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the scores begin to open up and the ham begins to color.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to cook the ham until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 155 to 160 degrees F, 3 to 3 1/2 hours longer. The ham will continue to cook after removed from the oven.
During the last hour of cooking, baste the ham often with the glaze and any pan juices that have accumulated. The skin should be crisp and dark. If the skin threatens to burn before the ham is cooked through, cover the ham loosely with aluminum foil.
When the ham is ready, transfer it to a large platter or carving board and let sit for at least 20 minutes before carving.
To serve, slice the meat thinly across the grain and arrange slices on a platter. Serve with any pan juices passed on the side.

Serves 10-12.

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Little Mushroom Tarts
From Sunset magazine

4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
8 ounces fresh common mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter, plus 6 tablespoons chilled butter cut into chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (8 oz.), peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
About 1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh-ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Rinse shiitake and common mushrooms. Trim and discard shiitake stems; coarsely chop both kinds of mushrooms (keep separate).
In a 10-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add shiitakes and stir often until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl.
Melt another tablespoon butter with another tablespoon olive oil in pan. Add common mushrooms and stir often over medium-high heat until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add to bowl. Cool slightly, then finely chop mushrooms.
In same pan, over medium-high heat, melt third tablespoon butter. Add onion and stir often until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour in vinegar and stir until liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and the mushrooms; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor. Whirl briefly to mix.
Add 6 tablespoons chilled butter and whirl until coarse crumbs form. Pour in 1/4 cup cold water and whirl just until dough comes together. Squeeze a little in your hand; if it doesn't hold together, add another tablespoon or two of water and pulse to mix. Pat dough into a ball, then flatten slightly into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill until cold, 15 to 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°. On a well-floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll dough into an oval 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Brush half with beaten egg.
Spoon tablespoonfuls of the mushroom mixture into one hand, squeeze tightly, and mound an inch apart on egg-washed side of dough. Fold bare half over mounds, and press between them to seal. With a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out tarts and transfer to a baking sheet.
Gather remaining dough, roll again, fill, and cut out more tarts.
Bake until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Brush tarts with egg wash (discard any remaining) and continue baking until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.
Serve warm.

Makes 12 to 16 tartlets.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Singapore Noodles

partysugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:50:56 -0700

Brighten up the middle of your week with an exotic meal inspired by the cuisine of Singapore. This recipe combines everyday ingredients - shrimp, onions, peas, and ham - with Asian elements like rice noodles, fish sauce, and curry powder.

The resulting dish is complex, delicious, and wildly flavorful. Trust me, your family will be fully content while slurping on these noodles, so learn the method and read more.

Singapore Noodles
From The Nest

Ingredients

8 ounces dried rice vermicelli, soaked in water until pliable
24 small headless tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup fresh shelled green peas, or frozen peas, thawed
2 teaspoons Indian curry powder
6 ounces Cantonese roast pork or thick slice of ham, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 sprigs cilantro, trimmed

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and cook the noodles until tender yet firm, about 10 seconds. Use a strainer and tongs to pick up the noodles and transfer them to a bowl.
In the same water cook the shrimp until opaque, about 1 minute, and drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Stir-fry the onion until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the noodles, and peas, and sprinkle the curry powder over the top. Toss well, making sure all of the noodles become yellow.
Add the pork, shrimp, and fish sauce, and continue to stir-fry until the noodles are heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve garnished with cilantro.

Serves 6.

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Monday's Leftovers: Fettuccine With Mint, Peas, & Ham

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:50:02 -0700

It's the week after a long weekend of Easter entertaining, and your refrigerator's jam-packed with everything from baked ham to frozen peas.

Put your springtime ingredients to good use with this fresh flavored combination of fettucine with mint, cream, peas, and ham that's as gratifying as it is effortless to make.

The best part about the dish? It won't take more than half an hour of your time. Get started on it when you read more.

Fettuccine with Mint, Peas, Ham, and Cream
From Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

2 leeks, (about 4 ounces), white parts only, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces cooked ham, cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh or dried fettuccine
1 cup small mint leaves, or chopped large leaves

Directions

Place sliced leeks in a small bowl of cold water. Let stand for 5 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift sliced leeks out of water, leaving sand behind, and drain well. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and garlic, and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add chicken stock, cream, ham, and peas; season with salt and pepper. Let the sauce cook until it is reduced by half, stirring frequently until it has thickened, about 6 minutes.
Salt the boiling water, add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 4 minutes for fresh. Drain fettuccine, and return to pot. Add sauce to fettuccine, and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the mint, and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

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