This section is from the book "The Table: How To Buy Food, How to Cook It, and How to Serve It", by Alessandro Filippini. Also available from Amazon: The Table: How To Buy Food, How To Cook It And How To Serve It.
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.
 
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