A Belated Easter Dinner

The uncooked ham

The Fully Baked Ham with Breadcrumbs

We went to McCall’s Meat & Fish and I spotted an enormous ham. It was after Easter and he must have had some extras that didn’t get sold. Well this big one did, to us. Cathy found a Julia Child recipe: Jambon braise au Madere ou au Porto (Ham Or Smoked Shoulder Braised In Wine) from Julia Child’s Kitchen by Julia Child. I don’t think we had ever made a ham before and this recipe seemed unusual to me because it is coated in Bread Crumbs we cooked the ham with the bread crumbs rather than slicing and baking the ham at the end.

This ham was like one of those dishes that kept on giving. We had a tremendous amount of leftovers and kept trying different ways to prepare the meat. All of the various preparations were good. After many meals made of leftovers we finally threw the rest of the ham away. If it had been winter we probably would have used the remaining ham and its bone as a basis for a soup.

We invited Scott and Tom to join us for dinner. For the 1^st course we started with Asparagus topped with Burrata Cheese and Brown Butter and Hazelnuts. It is getting near the end of the Asparagus season and we are sure happily eating a lot of it!

With the Ham we served Roast potato salad with rosemary and garlic from Tender by Nigel Slater. I love the taste of the mustard combined with Rosemary and Garlic. This is definitely one of our go to potato recipes. You can find the recipe in our blog of: June 12, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

For dessert we served Chocolate Cake.

Jambon braise au Madere ou au Porto

Ham Or Smoked Shoulder Braised In Wine

From Julia Child’s Kitchen

Julia Child

A 6-pound shoulder will serve 12 to 16 people

This is a delicious way to cook ham or smoked shoulder, whether you serve it as is, hot or cold, or have other plans. Accompany it with spinach braised in butter or cream and a puree of chestnuts, lentils, or mashed potatoes; a smooth red Bur­gundy or Cotes du Rhone would go nicely, or a fine strong white Burgundy such as a Meursault.

5-1/2- to 6-pound smoked shoulder of pork, ready to cook

2/3         cup each: sliced carrots, onions, and celery

1         small sliced leek

2         imported bay leaves

6         allspice berries or cloves

6         peppercorns

1-1/2         cups dry white wine or dry white French Vermouth

½         cup dry (Sercial) Madeira, or dry Port

1-1/2         cups chicken stock, fresh or canned

Fresh white bread crumbs

Equipment: A covered casserole just big enough to hold shoulder comfortably, a rack for the casserole, a meat thermometer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shave off inspection marks, etc., place meat fat side up on rack in roaster, and strew the sliced vegetables, leek, bay, and spices around it; pour on the wines and chicken stock. Drape with foil, and bring to simmer on top of the stove. Cover, and place in lower-middle level of preheated oven. In 30 minutes, turn thermostat down to 325 degrees. Braise 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 hours, or to a meat thermometer reading of 160 degrees, basting several times during cooking, and regulating oven heat so that liquid in casserole simmers very slowly.

When done, remove meat from casserole. If you are to serve it as is, slice off rind and all but 1/8 inch of covering fat. Place meat in a shallow roasting pan, sprinkle top with a layer of fresh bread crumbs, and baste with its own fat or with melted butter. Brown 15 minutes in upper third of a preheated 425-degree oven. Meanwhile, strain braising juices, pressing liquid out of vegetables. Degrease the juices (almost 2 cups, and delicious) ; pour into a warm sauceboat to accompany the meat.

Meat will stay warm for a good half hour; or return it to casserole with its juices, set cover askew, and place over barely simmering water or on an electric warming device, being sure meat is only kept warm and is not overcooking.

Carving. I like the French system, which is easy and makes attractive slices. The shoulder is lying lengthwise, and the arm bone runs down the middle, lengthwise, a bit to one side. Cut long slices lengthwise parallel to bone on the right, then on the left, alternating; turn the meat over when bone is fully exposed, and continue the same system on the other side.