WESTPHALIA HAM, BAKED.
Trim, and partially bone, a Westphalia ham, by removing the
thigh-bone; soak it, as usual, in cold water, for forty-eight hours, at
least, and afterwards boil it in water for half an hour; this part of
the operation should be executed in time to allow the ham to soak a
day and night, previously to its being dressed in some wine mirepoix
(No. 236) in a deep baking-dish. Cover the ham with two sheets of
oiled paper, and over the whole lay a covering of paste, such as is
used to cover venison with, and applied similarly to a pie-crust,
taking care to secure it thoroughly all round so as to prevent the
escape of the volatile properties of the essence of the ham, &c., which
by condensation, and subsequent absorption, impart to the ham that
pculiar fine flavour which renders this method of dressing hams so
much esteemed by gastronomes. Having prepared the ham in every
particular according to the above directions, about five hours before
dinner-time, let it be put in the oven to bake slowly, observing that
the heat of the oven should be moderate, in order that the moisture
be not reduced, so as to render the ham dry, which would spoil it
entirely. When the ham has been in the oven about four hours,
take it out of its braize, trim it, and then place it on a baking-sheet
in the oven to dry the surface; glaze it in the usual manner, and
after having clarified the mirepoix in which the ham has been baked,
add as much thereof as will suffice to give flavour to some Espagnole
sauce, reduce it to a proper consistency, and use it to pour round the
ham, when sent to table. Hams dressed according to the foregoing
method, may be garnished as follows :—à la Financière, à la Périgueux,
à la Parisienne, à la Macédoine, à la Jardinière, à la Flamande : with
stewed peas, asparagus-peas, young carrots, spinach, broad-beans, &c.
Note.—If the ham, dressed as above, be intended to be eaten cold,
it should be allowed to remain in its braize, until it becomes set in a