Smoked Ham with Apple-Riesling Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

1. One 18-pound bone-in smoked ham, skin removed and fat scored in a crosshatch pattern
2. 2 cups water
3. 1 bottle Riesling, preferably off-dry
4. 6 red apples such as Paula Red or Empire—halved, cored and skin peeled in stripes
5. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6. 6 scallions, coarsely chopped
7. 1 teaspoon hot paprika
8. 2 tablespoons Calvados
9. Salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Set the ham fat side up in a large roasting pan. Add the water to the pan and bake for 2 hours.
2. Pour the wine over the ham. Roast for 30 minutes. Increase the oven to 350°. Baste the ham and arrange the apples around it. Roast for 35 minutes; baste once more. Remove the apples, then peel and chop.
3. Bake the ham for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting frequently, until an instant-read thermometer registers 170°. Transfer to a carving board; let rest for 15 minutes.
4. Strain the pan juices into a bowl and skim off the fat. In a deep skillet, melt the butter. Add the scallions and paprika; cook over moderately high heat until the scallions are softened. Add the Calvados. Using a long match, carefully ignite the Calvados; let the alcohol burn off. Add the apples and pan juices and cook until the apples are just heated through. Season the sauce with salt. Carve the ham and serve with the sauce.