September 14: Super Mashers with Chicken Cordon Bleu Hash

CREAM OF MUSHROOM SAUCE
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 button mushrooms, brushed off with a damp towel and chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup whole milk or cream
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons EVOO
1 pound ham steak
1 pound chicken breast cutlets
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine, or more stock
4 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 pound Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Boil the potatoes until tender (about 12 minutes).

To make the mushroom sauce, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the EVOO and the butter. When the butter melts, add the chopped button mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, until just tender.

Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a bubble, then stir in the whole milk. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Mash the potatoes with the prepared sauce and salt and pepper.

While the potatoes cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, then add the ham steak and cook for 3 minutes on each side to warm through.

Remove the ham to a plate and add another tablespoon of the EVOO and the chicken to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes on each side.

Add the wine to the pan and deglaze it, then cook off the liquid. Cut the chicken and ham into thin strips. Sprinkle with chopped thyme leaves.

Preheat the broiler to high.

Pile the mashers onto heat-proof plates and top with the ham and chicken strips and some shredded cheese. Place under the broiler just long enough to melt and lightly brown the cheese. Garnish with the chives.

4 SERVINGS

This was an interesting variation on the wild mushroom casserole. I liked it, but it could have had a little more flavor added in there somewhere. I thought I put enough salt in it, but apparently not. The potatoes were a little watery, but I let them dry out a bit in the pot before I dished them up and they turned out pretty good. My daughters had a hard time eating this because they're not that fond of mashed potatoes (or big piles of any kind of goop). The only things I did differently was that I used half-and-half and dried thyme. I would suggest fresh thyme for this recipe since it's not being cooked. Oh, and I just used the leftover sliced Fontina cheese from yesterday.