Recipe: Stuffed Easter Ham with Cajun Glaze, Cajun Pork Roast - Two recipes for Phil Toback

Stuffed Easter Ham with Cajun Glaz
SERVES: 6-8

COMMENT:
Other than wild game, smoked ham is the most common meat used as a centerpiece on the holiday table in South Louisiana. Often "secret" glazes or stuffings are used by the bayou families to create that special masterpiece. Here is a favorite recipe from my own family. It is normally seen on our table at Easter time.

1 (6-7 pound) boneless ham
2 whole yams
2 whole Bartlett pears
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup garlic, diced
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup fig preserves
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of fil (optional)
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
6 Bartlett pears, halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Poach yams and pears in hot water until tender but not overcooked. Drain and chop into 1-inch cubes. Set aside. In a heavy-bottom saut pan melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Saut until vegetables are wilted, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Add yams, pears, raisins and fig preserves and continue to saut until mixture is well blended and resembles a chutney or stuffing. Season with a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and fil . Remove and allow to cool. Slice ham horizontally across the middle and fill the center of ham with stuffing mixture about 3/4-inch. Top with upper section of ham and secure in place with skewers. Garnish top of ham with pear halves and glaze ham with Cajun glaze. Bake 20-30 minutes.

Cajun Glaze

1 cup cane syrup
1 cup Creole mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground fil or sassafras leaves

In a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend well and brush over ham prior to baking.

Cajun Pork Roast
Serves 6

2 lbs. Farmer John boneless single loin Pork Roast
3 Tbs. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbs. Garlic Powder
2 tsp. Oregano
2 tsp. Thyme
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. White Pepper ground
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

Combine all seasonings and rub well over all surfaces of roast. Place roast in shallow pan and roast in 350 degree F. oven for about an hour, until internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F. Remove from oven, let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.