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Cullen's Green Grit Stuffed Ham

1 lb washed greens deveined, stemmed
    (turnip greens, collard greens, kale, or green chard leaves)
6 tbl unsalted butter plus more
1 lrg yellow onion finely chopped
4 x garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup quick grits
2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
2 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
10 lb bone in half ham
    Coarse salt
    Freshly-ground black pepper
2 lrg eggs well beaten

 Method :
Stack 3 or 4 leaves of greens on top of each other, roll tightly, and cut into thin strips. Repeat with remaining greens.
In a large saute pan, heat 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat; add onion and garlic, and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add wine and greens, and partially cover. Reduce the heat to simmer, and cook until greens are very tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and cool completely. Wrap the greens in several layers of cheesecloth, and squeeze to remove all moisture. Return to a bowl.
While greens are cooking, combine milk and cream in a saucepan, and cook over medium heat until simmering. Stir in the grits, and cook over medium heat until thick, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from burning. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, thyme, and parsley. Remove from heat, and spread mixture onto a baking sheet to cool. Transfer cooled grits to the bowl with cooled greens, and combine well.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the bone from the ham or have your butcher do it for you. With a sharp knife, remove enough meat to create a pocket large enough to stuff, about 1 pound. Trim fat and sinew, dice the extra meat, and stir it into the stuffing. Spoon the stuffing into the cavity, reserving what's left over. Rub the outside of the ham with pepper, and tie at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine. Place a double layer of cheesecloth over the stuffing, and tie it closed at the shank (narrow) end.
Place the ham, stuffing-side up, in a 7-quart ovenproof stockpot, so that the ham sits upright and the stuffing will not leak out. Bake 12 minutes per pound, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove ham from oven, and let cool slightly.
Increase the temperature of the oven to broil. Place ham on a baking sheet, and remove cheesecloth. Broil until browned, about 15 minutes. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a small, shallow baking dish. In a bowl, combine reserved stuffing with eggs; mix well. Spoon stuffing into baking pan, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.
 

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