JAMBON BRAISE AU MADERE (BRAISED HAM W/MADEIRA SAUCE - FRANCE)

Steps:

• Melt half the butter in a heavy med-sized saucepan over med-high heat. Add the shallots & cook for 2-3 min till just softened, stirring freq.
• Sprinkle over the flour & cook for 3-4 min till well-browned, stirring constantly. Whisk in the stock + tomato puree & season to taste w/salt & pepper. Simmer over low heat till the sauce is reduced by nearly half, stirring occ.
• Taste the sauce & adjust seasoning as desired. Add the Madeira wine & cook for 2-3 minutes. (The sauce can be made up to 3 dys in advance, chilled & then rewarmed to serve.).
• Snip the edges of the ham steaks to prevent curling. Melt the remaining butter in a lrg fry pan over med-high heat. Add the ham steaks & cook 4-5 min (turning once) till the meat feels firm to the touch. Serve immediately w/the sauce.
• *Notes* ~ This is where I often go astray w/a recipe - a point where I begin to think about a better (or easier) way to do something or a way I pers prefer. *For example* ~ 1) The recipe said to strain the sauce at the end of Prep Step 3, but I deleted that as I rarely see it as beneficial & certainly not w/this recipe as the sauce has no food solids other than finely minced shallots -- 2) I esp like that this sauce can be made ahead & rewarmed to serve, but I'd be more than reluctant to walk away from the lovely pan drippings from cooking the ham steaks -- so I'd be inclined to rewarm the sauce in that same pan to add to the rich flavor of the sauce b4 serving.