720. Suckling Pig, Apple Sauce.
—Thoroughly clean the interior of a small, tender, suckling pig (reserving the liver); drain it well. Season the interior with two pinches of salt, one good pinch of pepper, and the third of a pinch of grated nutmeg. Chop up the liver very fine, and fry it in a saucepan, with half an ounce of butter, for five minutes. Stuff it with American forcemeat ([No. 229]), then sew up the aperture with a kitchen-needle. Have a roasting-pan ready, sprinkle into it half a cupful of cold water, then lay in the pig, so that it rests on its four legs. Completely cover all around with a buttered paper, then put it into a moderate oven, and let cook for two hours; baste it frequently, while cooking, with its own gravy. Remove it to a hot dish, untie, skim the fat from the gravy, and strain the lean part of it over the pig. Serve with a pint of hot apple sauce ([No. 168]) in a separate bowl.
721. Boiled Ham, plain.
—Select a nice, small, lean ham of about seven pounds, and steep it in cold water during a whole night; take it out, lay it on a board or table, dry it thoroughly in a cloth, then put it in a saucepan and cover it with cold water. Let it boil for two hours, then remove it from its stock, lift off the upper skin, trim it neatly, and ornament artistically the large end bone with a pretty paper ruffle, then serve it with any kind of sauce required for garnishing.
722. Cold Boiled Ham, for family use.
—Proceed the same as for [No. 721], but let the ham be thoroughly cooled off before serving.
723. Roast Ham, Champagne Sauce.
—Boil a ham exactly as directed for [No. 721], making a few lengthwise incisions on the surface. Sprinkle the top with a little powdered sugar; arrange it in a roasting-pan, then place it in a slow oven for fifteen minutes. Serve with half a pint of champagne sauce ([No. 204]).
724. Roast Ham, with Corn à la Crême.
—The same as for [No. 723], serving with it one pint of hot corn à la crême ([No. 963]).