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Braised Ham, With Spinach, Etc

When about to dress a ham, care must be taken to see that it has been well trimmed, and the thigh bone removed; then put it to soak in a large pan filled with cold water; the length of time a ham should remain in soak depends much upon the size and whether it be new or seasoned. The water should be changed often; it is necessary also to scrape off the slimy surface from the ham previously to placing in the water in which it should boil. Let the ham boil for one hour, then take it out, scrape, and wash in cold water; place in a braising pan, with two carrots, as many onions, a head of celery, garnished fagot, two blades of mace, and four cloves, moisten with common broth sufficient to float the ham, then set it on the stove to braise for two hours. To obtain tenderness and sweetness in a well dressed ham, it must never boil, but simmer gently by a slow fire. This rule applies to the braising of all salted or cured meats. When the ham is done take the pan in which it was braised away from the fire and set to cool in the open air, allowing the ham to remain in the braise; by this means it will retain all of its moisture-for when the ham is taken out of the braise as soon as done and put on a dish to keep cool, all its richness exudes from it. After the ham has partially cooled in its braise; take out and trim, placing it in a braising pan with some of its own stock; and about one hour before dinner put in the oven; when warmed through, place the ham on a baking dish in the oven to dry the surface, then glaze it; replace in the oven again three minutes, to dry it, and glaze it again; by that time the ham will have a bright appearance. Put it now on its dish and garnish it with well dressed spinach, placed round the ham in tablespoonfuls, shaped like so many eggs; pour some bright Espagnole sauce round the base, and serve.