First Posted: 3/26/2015

Every family has recipes passed down through generations. This is that kind of recipe.

My great-grandmother made Ham and Bananas Hollandaise during the Great Depression. She brought it from her homeland of Kazakhstan where it was traditionally served to enemies to kill them. There was poison added and supposedly the ham and banana mixture hid the taste. Fortunately for my family, the poison aspect was lost through the years and we continue to enjoy this delicious meal.

During the depression, grocery store shelves were bare so Great-grandmother made do with what she could find and afford.

We are told that the first time she made this dish, she had to kill the pig at the butcher’s to get the ham. Apparently, the butcher’s apprentice quit to find better wages and the butcher was in a tight spot. My great-grandmother wanted to make the dish for her family so she got her hands bloody — I mean dirty.

Either way she got her ham.

The dish lasted her family two full weeks. It was the menorah of food. The ham gave my great-grandfather the strength to wait in lines by the docks and let my great-grandmother live till she was 101.

Ham and Bananas Hollandaise is still a staple for my family. We have it every Friday. I never have to worry about my protein or potassium levels.

It is the perfect entree for your Easter celebration. Why not have some hollandaise for your holiday?

What you need:

shallow baking dish

small sauce pan

6 medium bananas

1/4 cup of lemon juice

6 thin slices of boiled ham (about half a pound)

3 tablespoons of mustard

2 envelopes of hollandaise sauce mix

1/4 cup of light cream

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter shallow baking dish. If you want to be a little healthier than my great-grandmother, substitute butter with olive oil.

Peel the bananas and sprinkle each one with 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice. This prevents the fruit from darkening and giving the dish a nasty color.

This is such a beautiful looking entree, you wouldn’t want to ruin it by forgetting this little step.

Next, spread mustard on each of the ham slices and wrap each banana in a slice of ham. It is a bit of heaven for each banana to be snuggled up in their own ham blanket.

Arrange each banana in the baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.

While the bananas are baking to Gwen Stefani perfection, you will be able to make the decadent sauce. In your small saucepan mix 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/4 cup of light cream. Heat the mixture and stir until it boils. Then pour over the bananas.

Once the sauce is poured bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the dish is slightly golden.

The meal pairs nicely with a green salad for lunch or even brunch. It makes six servings, one banana each.