Breakfast
FRIED COUNTRY HAM WITH REDEYE GRAVY
DILLOW THOMAS’ PICKLED PEARS
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FRIED EGGS
BLACK COFFEE
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SPOON BREAD
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NELL
To the uninitiated, the salty cured hamsteak of the South is a rude awakening. Making a “sauce� with coffee or water was an afterthought to juice up the sometimes dry, cured meat. The term “redeye� refers to the red flecks of fat that surface in the gravy. The spoon bread is the morning’s grits. Southerners will pickle anything from peanuts to watermelon rind, and the pickled winter pears make the ham go down easier.
FRIED COUNTRY HAM WITH REDEYE GRAVY
INGREDIENTS 4 slices country ham, each 1/ 4-inch thick (Smithfield type, preferably with the bone) Milk 1/ 2 to 2/ 3 cup black coffee Eggs for frying METHOD Trim the skin off the ham, leaving as much of the fat as possible. Soak the ham in enough milk to cover for approximately 20 minutes.
Drain and pat dry with paper towels. In a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, brown the ham on each side, using a bacon press to keep the ham from curling and to help it cook evenly. Move the ham to a warm plate. To deglaze the skillet, add the black coffee and cook, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the mixture over high heat for approximately 1 minute. Pour the redeye gravy over the ham and serve hot with fried eggs. Serves 4 GLORIOUS AMERICAN FOOD
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