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Westphalia Ham A L'Essence

Trim and remove the thigh bone from a Westphalia ham, soak in cold water two or three days, then boil it in water for an hour; after washing in cold water put in a large braising pan, with two carrots, two onions, a head of celery, a bouquet of herbs, namely: parsley, green onions, thyme, sweet basil, bay leaf, also four cloves and two blades of mace; moisten with two glasses of brandy, half a bottle of sherry, and enough broth to float the ham, then set the ham to simmer very slowly five or six hours. When the ham is braised sufficiently tender, and allowed to remain in its liquor an hour or more, drain it on to a dish, divest it of the rind, trim off the fat smooth, to give it a neat appearance.

Glaze the ham, replace it in the oven again for five minutes; glaze it once more, and place it on its dish; garnish it round with asparagus-peas, carrots, or spinach, with Espagnole sauce mixed with a glass of sherry, and about a pint of the liquor in which the ham has been braised; place a ruffle on the bone and send to table.