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Show A ROAST LEG OF FRESH PORK When entertaining a crowd, consider a leg of fresh pork also called jresh ham. because "ham" means "leg. As long as you say "fresh." it can't he confused with a smoked, cured ham. Except Jor its outside layer of protective fat, a Jresh ham is the leanest of meats and simple to cook when you hae it boned (or hone it yourself). Add flasvr by spicing it before tying it into a big ham-bk- e shape. And it carves into beautiful big slices, which you moisten u ith a delectable brown winy mmmmm same simmered up from the bones and other good things . Weve accompanied our roast with a garnish of roasted apples and primes and with a Soubise rue braised with onions ringed by hashed brussels sprouts tossed in butter, t or a finale, try our great Beehive Cake, a giant dome of a brioche filled with butter (ream and topped with honeyed walnuts. WHY DO SOME PEOPLE oil. Turn oven down to 350. drape the rind over the meat (discard it during the last half hour) and continue roasting, basting exposed flesh every 20 minutes with fat accumulated in pan. After 2 hours, add a large, roughly chopped onion and carrot and 4 or 5 large unpeeled garlic cloves. THt ROAST IS DONL at a meat therF. Let it mometer reading of 155-16rest for 20 minutes at room temperature before carving (this allows the juices to retreat back into the flesh). The sauce. Several hours or the day before roasting, chop the pork bones into pieces and brow n in a 450s oven for 12 hour w ith a roughly chopped carrot and onion and a sprinkling of cooking oil. Then toss w ith 114 cup offlour and brow n 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice for even coloring. Transfer to a saucepan, adding 3 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled, and 2 ribs of celery, chopped; blend in 2 cups of chicken broth. Pour 2 cups of white wine or French vermouth into the brow ning pan. set over heat and scrape up coagulated juices into the liquid; scrape into the saucepan along with enough Mater, if needed, to cover in- OVERCOOK PORK? Some people still feel they have to cook pork until it is so well done it falls apart then they can be sure all the trichinosis parasites are killed. True, heat does kill parasites, but you don't need to kill the meat, too trichinosis is taken care of at a meat temperature of 138CF. when pork is almost rare. To be safe, all portions of the pork should reach 140 when it is still almost rare and 150 is safer still, as some studies have found that pork roasted in a microwave oven does not cook uniformly near the bone. But most cooks prefer a slightly higher I roast niy pork to around temperature 160. for instance. What a shame it is to overcook roasts and chops so the juices run out of the meat, leaving a dry. tough hulk! The texture of pork, while firmer than that of beef or lamb, should always have a certain porky tenderness and juiciness. 1 dry-whit- ROAST IT RIGHT Preparing the roast. Neatly slice off and save the rind ( I ) of a 12- - to fresh leg of pork (it will sene 20 to 24 people, but you may have to order it specially). Slice off all but a layer of covering fat. Turn the leg so its rounded Boning. side is underneath and its large end is away from you. If the hip bone is still in the meat, cut around it to release it from the main leg bone. Cut down 1'4-inc- h through the meat to follow the main leg bone to the knee, then from knee to ankle at the small end of the meat. Cut around the bones to remove them, removing also the tough w hite tendon running from the small end to the knee next to the bone. Reserve the bones for your sauce. Dry spice marinade. Mix in a bow gredients Roast leg of pork served up with braised rice in onions, hashed brussels sprouts and a fruit garnish. The wine sauce adds that special touch of sophistication. 1 ': inches. Bring to the .limmcr; add 2 medium-siz- e tomatoes, chopped, and an herb bouquet 6 parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, and 12 teaspoon each of thyme and sage, all tied in washed cheesecloth). Cover loosely and simmer about 3 hours, skimming occasionally and adding more w ater if liquid evaporates 1 1 14 cup of table salt; 14 teaspoon each of ground allspice, bay leaf, paprika, sage and thyme; and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground peppercorns. Rub the mixture all over the inside flesh of the pork. Place the meat in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 2 days, if possible although you may proceed by Slice off the rind, save it and drape it over the roast to act as an automatic baster. ith the cooking at once, if necessary. Trussing. Using white butcher's twine and or a trussing needle or skewers, tie or sew the underside of the meat, then loop string around it to the roast in practically its original shape, as pictured here (2). w 2 Neatly tied into almost its original shape, boned fresh ham is ready to roast in the oven. Roasting 3 to 3 'A hours. Preheat ovfn to425'F. Dry the meat thoroughlv with paper towels, brush it all over with cooking oil, set on a rack in a roasting pan and place in the middle level ot the oven. Roast lor 15 min utes. rapidly basting tw ice w ith cook in: below level of ingredients. Strain, pressing juicesout of vegetables, etc. Chill; lift coagulated fat off surface. When roast is done, skim fat of! juices in pan. pour in the sauce and simmer, scraping up coagulated roasting juices and mashing roasting vegetables into the liquid. Season carefuland you may w ish to add ly to taste to the simmering sauce 14 cup or so of Port wine or Madeira. Strain the liquid into a saucepan and reheat just before serv ing it in a warm sauce bowl. You w ill not have a great deal of sauce just enough to moisten each serving of meat with a small spoonful, in the French manner. PAGE 14 OCTOBER 17, 1982 PARADE MAGAZINE |