William Penn Life, 2005 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2005-03-01 / 3. szám
The Hungarian Kitchen with Főszakács Béla Ham & Lamb: The Easter Meats FARADJON BEA MAGYAR KONYHÁBA. Last month sure was tough on us in the Northeast. We had over 30 inches of snow in one storm alone. I like snow, but enough already! It's time to start thinking about springtime and all it brings-a change in the weather from cold to mild, singing birds, green leaves on the trees and green grass appearing so that Chef Vilmos and I can start playing golf! (Let me mention the cookbook is coming along very well. I'm sure you all will be satisfied with the results.) Springtime also brings the special holiday of Easter which this year is in March. I remember Easter Sunday growing up in New Brunswick, N.J. We would all go to church and celebrate the wonderful day of our Lord. When services were over we Green beans, fresh spinach, asparagus, peas, pea pods and broccoli can be kept from fading while cooking by putting a pinch of baking soda in the cooking water.This technique works for bok choy and other members of the cabbage family. For cauliflower try lemon juice or white vinegar which will keep it snow white. If you toss mushrooms in lemon juice before cooking them, they won’t fade but retain their white color. would head home for quite the Easter feast. After dinner grandpa would always fall asleep in his favorite chair in the living room while my sister and I examined the contents of our Easter baskets, sometimes trading chocolates and marshmallow chicks. I always bit the ears off the chocolate bunny rabbit which annoyed my sister to no end. I can also recall the meal my mother and grandmother prepared for us. We were lucky to have both ham and lamb on our Easter table. Let's learn more about ham and lamb, the Easter meats. Ham is that cut of meat from a hog's hind leg, usually from the middle of the shank to the hip bone. A hog provides us with pork, which is a staple of the Magyar diet. There are three types of ham we can enjoy for dinner. There is a fresh ham, which is the unprocessed cut of meat described above seasoned, baked and served. The meat from this cut appears light because it has not gone through any processing to change its color or texture. It has a unique pork taste, and, if prepared properly, is very juicy and flavorful. The second type of ham is a cured ham, processed in one of a few ways to preserve that cut of meat. Dry curing involves salting the surface of the ham then storing it in a cool, dry place. When you're ready to cook this ham you have to wash away all the outer crusting of salt and re-hydrate the ham. A "Smithfield ham," which you can buy at any roadside stand in the south, is an excellent example of a dry cured ham. Smithfield hams are from Smithfield, Va., and are the best dry cured ham in the U.S. Another way of curing is sweet pickle curing where the ham is immersed in a sweet brine solution usually kept secret by the manufacturer. If sugar is added to the brine solution, then the ham is "sugar cured." Swift's Premium hams are a good example of pickled curing. Lastly there is injection curing where the ham is injected with brine. Brine is a strong solution of water and salt with sugar and molasses added for extra flavor. Every processor of ham has their own recipe with secret ingredients. Most supermarkets sell this type of ham in their meat department under their own brand label. The third and final type of ham is a canned ham, which comes to you in a can, usually egg-shaped, elliptical or oval. This ham is boneless and can be formed with pieces from both hind legs or one whole piece from the leg. These hams are fully cooked but can be partially cooked then canned. When choosing a ham, you want one that is firm and plump. If you can see a nice white layer of fat, that is another indication of a good ham. The more expensive hams are in one whole piece with the bone in. A few examples of the better known hams throughout the world are prosciutto ham or Parma ham from Italy, Westpahlian ham from Germany, Bayonne ham from France and a York ham from England. High-quality American hams are labeled "country cured" and cost a little bit more, but are worth the price. Ham is a lean meat product and the taste varies according to the brand and region of the country it comes from. When seasoning your ham, the following will enhance the flavor: horseradish, ginger, Dijon mustard, mace, nutmeg, brown sugar, ground coriander, maple syrup, honey, apple jelly, pineapple rings, maraschino cherries and raisins. You can also glaze your ham after it's finished cooking with a coating of 12 William Penn Life, March 2005
