Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham

Ingredients

some celery
5,200 gr ham country cured
3 kale
1,400 ml watercress
350 gr cabbage green
1 pepper
50 gr salt
40 gr pepper black
18 gr pepper
30 ml mustard seed
14 gr celery seed
10 ml tabasco sauce

Instructions

Choose a plump, thick ham with a thin layer of fat. Parboil 20 minutes. Steam and remove all skin. Cut greens in small pieces (1 inch to 4 cm). Chop celery and pepper fine. Blanch greens, celery and pepper in boiling water until limp; drain well. Add seasonings and mix. Cool ham until you can handle it comfortably. Starting at the butt end of the ham, cut three lengthwise slits, 5 cm long, all the way through. Second row--two slits. Third row--three slits, so that one slit for stuffing does not split into another. The ham is now ready to be stuffed. With your fingers, push the seasoned greens into slits first from the top, then from underneath, until you can feel all the spaces have been filled. The remaining greens are banked over the top of the ham.

To keep the ham in shape, use a large square of clean cloth. Place ham, skin side up, on the cloth, fold the ends over tightly and pin. Return to ham boiler and simmer 15 minutes to the pound. Let cool for two hours in the pot liquor. Chill in refrigerator overnight, in its cloth.

Mrs. Edward J. Edelen Port Tobacco, MD The Hammond Harwood House Cookbook