Asparagus is long-awaited every Spring. Once the spears emerge from the ground and are tall enough to harvest we eat it fresh, grilled or steamed, but eat it all the time! After we have our fill of ‘just plain’ asparagus it begins to surface in other favorite dishes. Ham Roll-Ups are a favorite, and one I made years ago and just remembered for some reason. This is an easy, tasty favorite. You can vary the flavor by the type of cheese you use in the rolls. Swiss works really well, so does gouda. Yes, these are even good without the cheese, or a fat-free cheese. Try them out. Experiment and enjoy your efforts!
4 thin slices baked ham
12 spears of bar boiled asparagus
4 slices pepper-jack cheese
2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
Bring a pot of water to boil. Place 12 evenly sized spears of asparagus in the water. Remove pot from heat and allow to set 2 minutes. Remove spears and place directly in ice-cold water to stop cooking. After a few minutes place spears on thick towel to absorb moisture.
Using one think slice of ham, place slice of cheese on ham. Next set 3 spears asparagus on ham. Sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon bread crumbs. Roll up tightly. Using thin ham and thin cheese makes rolling easy.
Place ham rolls on bed of your favorite rice, polenta, or couscous.
Drizzle with sauce.
Sauce for Ham Roll-Ups
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely minced black olives
Mix ingredients together to form sauce. Heat on medium heat in microwave for two minutes. Stir and drizzle over ham rolls. Cover dish loosely with plastic wrap and heat in microwave about minutes to warm and melt cheese. These can be refrigerated prior to microwaving for two days.
Leave a Reply