Sauce:
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 medium leeks (white part only), quartered
lengthwise and cut into 2 1/2-inch lengths
1 pound fresh asparagus (or 1 10-ounce
package frozen asparagus)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon ketchup

Spread half of the chopped tomatoes in the bottom of a 3-4-quart Dutch
oven. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1
tablespoon oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pork and
brown well. Drain well; arrange over tomatoes.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add ham and onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle
the mixture over the pork. Top with the remaining chopped tomatoes.
Cover, place over low heat and simmer 45 minutes, adding 1 or 2
tablespoons water if necessary.
Arrange leek over pork. Top with a layer of asparagus. Cover and cook
until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 15 minutes.
For the sauce, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet, stir in the flour, and mix until smooth. Cook 1 minute. Gradually drain liquid from
the Dutch oven into the flour mixture, stirring until the sauce is smooth.
Gradually add cream, ketchup and salt to taste. Drain stew again (juices
from vegetables will settle in bottom of Dutch oven; drain before adding
sauce or stew will be watery) and transfer to tureen or serve from the
Dutch oven. Pour sauce over and serve. Serves 5 - 6.

Asparagus: The Royal Vegetable