Ham

Ouzo lends a subtle flavor to the melon. Pour more over before serving, if desired.

Ask your butcher to cut the ham hocks.

A mixture of prosciutto, rosemary and plenty of garlic rubbed under the skin of the turkey gives it a distinctively delicious taste. True garlic lovers can squeeze some of the pan-roasted garlic into the gravy for even more flavor. Begin the meal with an appetizer of chilled shrimp with lemon and dill, and offer a radicchio salad as a first course. Pour a Chianti Classico Riserva.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A delicious tapa that is called flamenquines in Spanish. The precise origin of the name is unknown, but it is most certainly related to the term flamenco, which refers to any colorful dish native to Andalusia.

Choucroute — the pickled cabbage that is a cornerstone of Alsatian cuisine — is similar to sauerkraut. One key difference is that choucroute is always cooked in wine. Here, sauerkraut is combined with smoked ham hocks, sausages and potatoes.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

When shopping for ham, be aware that smoked pork shoulder is available partially or fully cooked. This will affect the braising time (partially cooked takes about 1 hour longer). We found that blanching the ham before braising helps eliminate excessive saltiness in both the ham and the broth. Leaving the skin on the ham adds body to the resulting sauce.

Wendy Popp of Richmond, Virginia, writes: "My job as a physical therapist and my hobby, horseback riding, keep me pretty busy. But my sons — Sammy, two, and Weston, four — keep me moving the most, which has changed my cooking style. In fact, a friend and fellow mom had a great idea for a cookbook that she wants me to help her write. We would call it The One-Arm Gourmet, and it would be filled with quick dishes you can make while holding a kid in one arm and cooking with the other. "

"On a recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, I was greatly taken with the grits served at the restaurant Slightly North of Broad, on East Bay Street," says Charles C. Gordon of Ontario, Canada. "Is it possible to get the recipe?"

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

A blend of classic Spanish ingredients: white wine, olive oil, and Serrano ham.