German Ham Braised in Red Wine

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a cute one from Rosemary Zwick:

My husband retired, and for the first time in over 40 years I had to
think about preparing midday meals. Tired of it after several months, I
said, "I married you for better or worse, but not for lunch."

"Fair enough. From now on I'll make my own," he replied with a smile.

A few weeks later he had to go downtown and invited me to join him. "We
could have lunch at that Chinese place we both like," he suggested. I
happily agreed. At the restaurant the next day we were seated, and the
waiter came to take our order. My husband looked up, a twinkle in his
eyes, and said "Separate checks, please..."

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Can you imagine a genuine German meal without pork in one form or another? I can't.

German Ham Braised in Red Wine (Schinken in Burgunder)

1 small precooked smoked ham, about 5-6 lbs (2.25-2.75 Kg)
2 cups (500 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) Burgundy or other dry red wine
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 whole clove, crushed
1 bay (laurel) leaf
1 Tbs (15 ml) butter mixed with
1 Tbs (15 ml) all-purpose flour

Remove the rind from the ham and place in a saucepan with the water.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Strain the liquid into a bowl and discard the rind. Pour 1 cup (250 ml)
of the rind stock into a baking pan large enough to hold the ham snugly.
Add 1 cup (250 ml) of the wine, the onion, clove, and bay leaf. Place
the ham, fat-side up, in the baking pan and bake uncovered in a
preheated 350F (180C) oven for about 1 hour, basting about every 20
minutes. Transfer the ham to a serving platter. Skim off and discard as
much of the fat from the surface of the liquid as possible and add the
remaining wine, scraping the pan to dissolve the brown bits. Bring the
liquid to a boil over moderate heat and stir in the butter and flour
mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is
smooth and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Carve the ham into thin
slices and serve the sauce in a bowl to be added at the table.
Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Thu Oct 1 22:14:51 2009