AFTER CHRISTMAS DINNER, STUFFED FRESH HAM, CORN CREOLE, DRESSED UP RICE

After Christmas Dinner

Mama's Stuffed Pork RoastMakes 12 to 14 servings 

1 10-pound to 12-pound fresh ham shank

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 cup finely chopped green bell peppers

6 to 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

Vegetable oil

2 cups water or more as needed

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.        

Set roast on large cutting board. Combine onions, bell peppers, garlic, salt, cayenne and black pepper in bowl and mix well.          

With a sharp boning knife, make several deep slits in roast -- spaced several inches apart. Using index finger, stuff seasoning mixture into slits, packing it firmly. Season outside of roast generously with more salt and cayenne pepper. Rub roast lightly with vegetable oil.        

Place roast in heavy roasting pan and put it in oven. When bottom of the pan begins to sizzle, carefully add water. Bake roast until it browns evenly, 30 to 45 minutes.    

More water can be added if pan becomes too dry. This will mix with the roast drippings and make dark gravy that can be used now for basting the roast, then later poured over steamed rice.

When roast is well-browned, reduce heat to 350 degrees, cover, and cook until juices run clear and roast is tender, approximately 3 to 4 hours. (Add more water if necessary to make gravy.)

Remove from oven and cool slightly before carving.

Skim off excess oil from pan gravy, which can be served with pork. Or, store drippings in airtight container in refrigerator to make the following rice dish.

Dressed Up RiceMakes about 8 servings

6 bacon slices

1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers

1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/2 cup chopped celery

8 ounces small white button mushrooms, wiped clean, stemmed and thinly sliced

4 cups cooked rice

1 cup pork gravy

Salt

Cayenne pepper

Chopped green onion tops for garnish

In a large, heavy pot, cook bacon until crisp. Reserve drippings in pot. Transfer bacon to paper towel to drain and cool. When cool, crumble bacon.

To bacon grease, add bell peppers, celery and mushrooms, and cook, stirring until soft, about 8 minutes.       

Add rice, pork gravy and crumbled bacon. Stir to mix evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with green onions and serve warm.

*         

And one more recipe for lagniappe -- Mama's favorite corn dish.

Corn CreoleMakes about 6 servings

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon drippings

1 cup chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers

2 cups cream-style corn (canned)

1 large egg, beaten

2 cups milk

1/2 cup yellow corn meal

Salt

Cayenne

Bread crumbs

Butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil or bacon drippings in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden. Add corn, egg and milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add cornmeal and stir until mixture thickens. Season with salt and cayenne, and pour into lightly oiled baking dish. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs and dot with butter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly and hot.

ZUCCHINI SALAD

Zucchini Salad

2 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons corn or safflower oil 

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wash the zucchini, trim and discard the ends, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Arrange the rounds in one layer on a large cookie sheet and sprinkle them with the salt. Place in oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until they soften slightly.
Transfer the rounds to a bowl and toss them lightly with the pepper, vinegar and oil. Serve immediately.

OYSTER DRESSING

Oyster Dressing!

1/2 (16-ounce) package ground mild pork sausage with sage
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
10 cups cubed day-old cornbread
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 (8-ounce) packages shucked raw Louisiana oysters, drained (about 2 cups)

1.) Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
2.) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, stirring frequently, until browned and crumbly, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, set sausage aside, reserving rendered fat in pan.
3.) Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in sage, salt, hot sauce, and pepper; cook for 3 minutes more.
4.) In a large bowl, gently fold together cornbread, sausage, onion mixture, eggs, broth, and oysters. Pour mixture into prepared dish.
5.) Bake, uncovered, until top is golden brown and dressing is firm to the touch, approximately 40 minutes.

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake
Yield 16 to 20 servings

Legend has it that the St. Louis gooey butter cake originated by accident in the 1930s, when a baker mixed up the proportion of butter in one of his coffee cakes. Rather than throw it out, he sold it by the square, and the sugary, sticky confection was a hit. Naturally, a slice of gooey cake ends up next to — or in place of — the pumpkin pie at many a Missourian’s Thanksgiving table. Some bakers like to add pumpkin and spices to the gooey filling. Not so in this yeast-risen version from Molly Killeen, the St. Louis native behind Made by Molly, a dessert company in Brooklyn. Her recipe is soft-centered, crisp-edged and not too sweet. The leftovers are excellent for breakfast the next morning.

FOR THE CAKE
3 tablespoons/45 milliliters milk at room temperature
1 ¾ teaspoons/5 grams active dry yeast
6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
3 tablespoons/45 grams sugar
1 teaspoon/5 grams kosher salt
1 large egg
1 ¾ cups/215 grams all-purpose flour 

Topping:
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon/50 milliliters light corn syrup
2 ½ teaspoons/10 milliliters vanilla extract
12 tablespoons/170 grams/1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups/300 grams sugar
½ teaspoon/3 grams kosher salt
1 large egg
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons/145 grams all-purpose flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling

In a small bowl, mix milk with 2 tablespoons warm water. Add yeast and whisk gently until it dissolves. Mixture should foam slightly.
Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and salt. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Alternately add flour and the milk mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. Beat dough on medium speed until it forms a smooth mass and pulls away from sides of bowl, 7 to 10 minutes.

 
Press dough into an ungreased 9-by 13-inch baking dish at least 2 inches deep. Cover dish with plastic wrap or clean tea towel, put in a warm place, and allow to rise until doubled, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare topping, in a small bowl, mix corn syrup with 2 tablespoons water and the vanilla. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat in the egg. Alternately add flour and corn syrup mixture, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition. 

Spoon topping in large dollops over risen cake and use a spatula to gently spread it in an even layer. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes; cake will rise and fall in waves and have a golden brown top, but will still be liquid in center when done. Allow to cool in pan before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar for serving.