Wine-braised Ham with Shallots and Carrots

• 4 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 lb baby carrots with 1/2” of tops still attached, peeled
• 1 lb shallots, peeled, halved lengthwise (about 22)
• 2 cups dry white wine, divided
• 3 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
• 1 fully cooked butt-end ham (about 7 ½ lbs)
• 6 large fresh Italian parsley sprigs
• 3 bay leaves
• ¼ cup apricot jam
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, divided
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

• Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350 degree F.
• Melt 1 ½ tablespoons butter with vegetable oil in heavy large roasting pan set over 2 burners over medium heat. Add carrots and shallots.
• Saute until vegetables begin to brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper.
• Add 1 cup white wine and 1 cup chicken broth.
• Increase heat to high and boil 3 minutes.  Push vegetables to sides of pan; place ham in center.  Add parsley springs, thyme springs, and bay leaves to pan.  Tent pan with aluminum foil, sealing edges (do not allow foil to touch them).
• Roast ham until thermometer inserted into center (do not touch bone) registers 140 degrees F, basting every 20 minutes with pan juices, about 2 hours.  Remove ham; increase oven temperature to 450 degree F.
• Whisk apricot jam and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in small bowl.  Brush over ham.  Return ham to oven and roast, uncovered, until glaze turns dark brown, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer ham to cutting board.  Discard parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves from pan.  Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to bowl.  Tent ham and vegetables loosely with foil.
• Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons butter and flour in small bowl to smooth paste.  Place roasting pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat.  Add heavy cream, chopped thyme, and remaining 1 cup white wine, 2 cups chicken broth, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard. Bring to simmer.  Add flour-butter mixture 1 tablespoon at a time whisking to incorporate.  Simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes.  Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Slice ham and arrange on platter.  Arrange vegetables around ham.  Drizzle some sauce over ham and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

Bon Appetit, April 2004