European and American cuisine

Fresh Ham, Stuffed.—- Choose a leg of fresh pork of 6 or 7 pounds in weight, remove the bone and stuff the leg with sausage forcemeat, bread filling, or apple dressing ; sew up, score the skin across in narrow strips about ¼ inch apart, rub all over with salt and pepper. Place the ham in a roasting pan, and roast in a mediumhot oven till it begins to brown ; then add ⅛ pint boiling water, roasting and basting frequently till done, which will take about 2Yt hours. Shortly before serving lay the ham on a warm dish ; remove the fat from gravy, mix ⅛ tablespoonful cornstarch with a little cold water, add it to the gravy, stir for a few minutes over the fire ; add sufficient boiling water to make a creamy sauce ; strain and serve with the ham. Some stick a few cloves in the ham, and others sprinkle a little powdered sage over ; but most people like it cooked plain. Fresh Ham à la Marinière.— Wash a small leg of pork in cold water, lay it in a large stone jar. Boil 1 quart vinegar with 1 pint water, 1 tablespoonful whole pepper, the same of salt and sugar, 2 bay leaves, ⅛ dozen cloves, 2 large onions cut into slices, and a bouquet After 2 minutes' boiling set it off, and when cold pour it over the ham, let remain for 3 or 4 days, and turn each day. When to be prepared for cooking take it out, place in a large baking pan with the marinade in which the meat lay, and roast in a hot oven fully 3 hours, till done; basting should not be neglected. When the ham is done lay on a warm dish ; remove the fat from gravy, mix 1 tablespoonful cornstarch with ½ cup cold water, add it to the gravy, stir and cook 2 minutes on top the stove (if too thick add a little boiling water), strain and serve. Corned Ham, Boiled. — Choose a small plump ham which has been 1 week in the brine, let it lay 3 or 4 hours in cold water; place in a kettle, cover with fresh cold water, bring quickly to a boil ; Then let simmer slowly till done. (Allow 2½ hours after the water boils for a leg of 8 pounds.) Carrots, turnips, or parsnips may be boiled with the pork. In serving, some of the vegetables POEK. 887 should be laid around the ham as a garnish. Sauerkraut boiled separately is a nice accompaniment to this dish ; also cauliflower or creamed cabbage may be served with it Pork Chops, Fried. — Choose 6 chops from the loin, have them cut thin ; trim neatly, season with 1 even tablespoonful seasoning salt, dust with flour, beat 1 egg until light, dip each chop in the egg, then cover with fine bread crumbs. When all are prepared in this way, place a frying pan with 1 tablespoonful lard over the fire ; as soon as hot put in the chops, fry light brown on both sides and well done ; transfer the chops to a hot dish and serve with boiled, fried, or mashed potatoes. Apples cut into thick slices, then fried in the pork gravy, and laid around the dish or on top the chops as a garnish, is an improvement to this dish. If these chops are served for dinner, creamed string beans and mashed potatoes may be served with them. Pork chops may be fried without the egg and bread crumbs, also a little powdered sage may be sprinkled over if liked.