Ham

Serves 4 With their delicate, tender flesh and thinner, more elongated shape, Italian eggplant - they’re dark purple, like regular eggplant - are great to stuff. Select vegetables that are firm to the touch and have no wrinkles. Halve the eggplant, brush them with oil, and bake them until they’re soft enough to scoop out the flesh. For the stuffing, saute a shallot with garlic and ground coriander, and add fresh tomatoes and the flesh of the eggplant. Stir in ricotta, fresh herbs, ham, and pecorino cheese.

SYDNEY - Greg Ham, a musician with the iconic Australian band Men at Work, was found dead in his Melbourne home on Thursday, Australian reports said. He was 58. Two concerned friends who had not heard from Mr. Ham in some time found the body after going to check on him, Victoria State police said, declining to release any details on how he died. "There are a number of unexplained aspects to it. . . . We're assisting the local detectives to determine what has occurred," Detective Senior Sergeant Shane O'Connell told reporters.

Serves 4 with leftovers 1 boneless Daisy or nugget ham (about 3 pounds) ½ cup orange marmalade ½ teaspoon dry mustard Pinch cinnamon 8 ears fresh corn Butter (for serving) Salt, to taste 1. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Have on hand a roasting pan fitted with a rack. 2. Place the ham on the rack. Bake for 30 minutes. 3. In a small bowl, mix the cooking juices that accumulate in the pan with marmalade, mustard, and cinnamon.

Ham will be the centerpiece of many Easter dinners this weekend, but the cost of that traditional main dish may make it harder for families to live high on the hog. Ham prices have been higher than usual for the past two years because the cost of pig feed has gone up, and some major pork producers are spending millions to convert barns as they phase out cramped cages used to confine pregnant sows. Ham has been selling wholesale for 75 to 80 cents per pound this spring, which is in line with last year's prices but well above the 55 cents per pound average for the previous five years.

Serves 6 Classic scalloped potatoes are the inspiration for this recipe, an updated casserole that starts with thinly sliced onions and potatoes simmered in cream, milk, thyme, garlic, and nutmeg. To slice the potatoes thinly, use a mandoline or another half-held slicing machine (or a good chef's knife). Layer the potatoes with ham and a good quality, sharp cheddar. Starchy russet potatoes thicken the cream mixture. Use leftover ham, a ham steak, or buy a 1/4-inch-thick piece of your favorite ham at the deli counter.

Serves 6 1 ½ cups cold chicken stock 1 envelope unflavored gelatin ¼ onion, finely chopped ¼ cup chopped pickles 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon mustard 2 cups ground or finely chopped cooked ham ½ iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped 1. Have on hand a small mold or loaf pan (1-quart capacity). 2. In the top of a double boiler, pour ½ cup of stock. Sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Serves 4 1 tablespoon canola oil 2 tablespoons butter 3 stalks celery, chopped 4 leeks, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk 4 cups chicken stock 2 large red potatoes, chopped 4 ears corn, cooked 3 slices cooked ham, diced Salt and pepper, to...

Serves 4 2 large red bell peppers 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 medium red onions, sliced 7 ounces thinly sliced serrano ham or prosciutto, cut into thick strips 2 tablespoons capers 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil Salt and...

VAL DI FUNES - Prosciutto may be this country's most famous ham, but the folks who make speck have more fun. On the first weekend in October, about 10,000 people converge on the minuscule village of Santa Maddalena in Val di Funes for the annual Speckfest. It's a scene as surreal as the Dolomite Mountains that spring up in jagged spikes on the horizon of this Heidi-esque landscape in the Alto Adige region of Italy, tucked against the Austrian border. I consider myself a ham fan, having grown up on salty Appalachian hams, tasted my way through the mountains of southern Spain (jamón ibérico and jamón...

Cuts of ham can be confusing. They can be brined, wet-cured, or dry-cured. They’re sold as whole or half legs; if it’s half, it’s either the shank (tapered) or the butt (rounded) end. Finally, the meat might be bone-in (also called semiboneless) or boneless. What you’ll typically find at our markets is a fully cooked, half ham, cured with a brine, weighing 7 to 10 pounds. Heat it for maximum flavor and brush with a sweet glaze that caramelizes in the oven. If you buy a precut (“spiral cut’’)

By Terrence Stackhouse and Stefanie Le, Globe Correspondents South End police officers are taking their fight against prostitution to the web. Authorities said they arrests three suspected "johns" in the Park Square area in February as part of an undercover prostitution sting operation targeting people who solicit sex on-line. Police Sergeant Thomas Lema, District A-1 community service officer, said detectives worked with officers posing as young women. "We try and be more proactive with Craigslist," Lema said.

Serves 4 with leftovers 1 1/2  tablespoons olive oil  2  medium onions, chopped  2  packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to remove excess water  3 1/2  tablespoons unsalted butter  3 1/2  tablespoons flour  3  cups low-fat or whole milk, heated until hot  2 1/2  cups shredded sharp cheddar   1/4  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg   Salt and pepper, to...

LEXINGTON, S.C. – Mitt Romney stepped off his campaign bus here tonight, making an impromptu stop at a barbecue restaurant he visited four years ago because, as he put it, he wanted to "come back to the scene of delicious food. " "That's what Yankees feel barbecue is -- which is a hot dog or hamburger on the grill," Romney told the owner, Robin Hudson, as they walked toward the smokehouse outside the restaurant. "But you know barbecue is manufactured right in a smokehouse like this.

West Ham has signed American defender George John on a two-month loan from FC Dallas. The second-tier London club says it has brought John to Upton Park "with a view to a permanent signing. " John says on West Ham's website that he wants to "understand about English football and just adapt my game. " John hasn't played a competitive match since Oct. 26, saying it could "take two or three weeks to give me some time to develop and get back in the swing of things. "

Serves 6 1 ½ cups cold chicken stock 1 envelope unflavored gelatin ¼ onion, finely chopped ¼ cup chopped pickles 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon mustard 2 cups ground or finely chopped cooked ham ½ iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped 1. Have on hand a small mold or loaf pan (1-quart capacity). 2. In the top of a double boiler, pour ½ cup of stock. Sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside at room temperature for 5 minutes.

On the first chilly nights, a roast in the oven and a steaming kettle will warm the house. Select a small, boneless ham, sometimes called Daisy or nugget, which is cured and fully cooked and needs only a quick glaze and reheating. Bake the ham for 30 minutes before the initial basting with a glaze made from the pan juices. While the ham is in the oven, cook the ears of corn - there's a lot of late-harvest produce in the markets - then steam your family's favorite green veggies in the same pot. Corn chowder is a bridge between warm and cool weather, featuring the sunny flavors of the fresh...

Serves 4 12 thin slices Serrano ham or other flavorful ham 12 large sea scallops (about 1 1/4 pounds) Salt and pepper, to taste 20 fava bean pods 12 pearl onions 2 cups chicken stock 3/4 cup shucked fresh green peas 10 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces Morel mushrooms (see recipe)

(For ham, ham and corn chowder) 1 boneless Daisy or nugget ham (about 3 pounds) 1 stick butter 2 cups milk 8 ears fresh corn 3 stalks celery 4 leeks Handful fresh parsley sprigs 2 large red potatoes Salt and pepper ½ cup orange marmalade ½ teaspoon dry mustard Pinch ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon canola oil 3 tablespoons flour 4 cups chicken stock