GARLIC PANCAKES WITH HAM SAUCE

[Kitchen Witch]

GARLIC PANCAKES WITH HAM SAUCE

1/2 pound butter
3 tablespoons rubbed sage
3 large fresh garlic bulbs
2 cups self-rising flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons oil
3 1/2 cups milk
9 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ham, minced

1. Mix together 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) butter and sage; reserve.

2. Remove as much outer skin from garlic as possible without piercing the cloves' covering. Set garlic in saucepan, cover with water and boil gently about 45 minutes or until cloves are quite soft. Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle squeeze each clove to remove cooked garlic by grasping clove at tip and pulling down toward base.

3. In mixing bowl, beat garlic with fork until smooth. Add to garlic same amount (at least one cup) flour, eggs, oil and 1-1/2 cups milk to make pancake batter. Add minced garlic to batter and set aside.

4. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter and keep warm. While waiting for batter to work, place half the sage butter (6 tablespoons) in saucepan, add 6 tablespoons flour to make a roux and cook at medium temperature, stirring frequently, to brown.

5. Meanwhile in skillet, place remaining 2 tablespoons of remaining sage butter and add ham. Heat thru, but do not burn. When roux is nicely browned, add remaining 2 cups milk. Allow to thicken, stirring frequently. Add ham and skillet drippings and mix to make ham sauce. Keep warm.

6. Heat griddle or clean skillet and grease lightly with a bit of remaining sage butter. Drop batter by spoonfuls onto griddle to make silver dollar-sized pancakes. Serve with melted butter and ham sauce. Makes 2 dozen pancakes.

7. Cooking the garlic until it is soft changes its flavor from pungent to sweet and nut-like -- a very good addition to pancakes and a pleasant compliment to the smokiness of the ham sauce. Serve for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even a light supper.