
A historical main dish from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). The ham mixture should be stirred over fire until it thickens to the right consistency before serving over the toast.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
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Take a quarter of a pound of either boiled or fried ham, chop it fine
Mix it with the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, a tablespoonful of butter, and enough cream or rich milk to make it soft, a dash of pepper
Stir it over the fire until it thickens
Dip the toast for an instant in hot salted water
Spread over some melted butter, then turn over the ham mixture
Serve hot
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
The egg yolks act as an emulsifier, binding the fat from the butter and cream with the ham proteins to create a smooth, cohesive sauce. Gentle heating thickens the mixture through protein coagulation—stopping just before the eggs scramble. Dipping the toast briefly in salted water creates a moisture barrier that prevents the bread from becoming soggy while enhancing flavor through seasoning.
The ham can be chopped and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead in an airtight container. However, the egg-thickened mixture must be prepared just before serving as reheating will overcook the eggs and cause curdling.
This dish is best served immediately and does not store or reheat well due to the delicate egg-based sauce. Leftover ham mixture will separate and become grainy when refrigerated and cannot be successfully reheated.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The ham can be chopped and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead in an airtight container. However, the egg-thickened mixture must be prepared just before serving as reheating will overcook the eggs and cause curdling.
This dish is best served immediately and does not store or reheat well due to the delicate egg-based sauce. Leftover ham mixture will separate and become grainy when refrigerated and cannot be successfully reheated.