by Emily Scott from SEA & SHORE: Recipes and stories from a kitchen in Cornwall (Hardie Grant)
Photography: Kim Lightbody
SMALL WONDERS. Christmas flavours. My glazed ham recipe will brighten up your table over the festive time. I like to keep Christmas as simple as possible and getting ahead in the kitchen is always one of the parts I enjoy the most. The anticipation of the days ahead, the excitement of planning the menu. Thinly sliced, this also makes the best ham sandwich ever.
Serves 8
Ingredients
5–6 kg (11–13 lb) good-quality ham, ideally on the bone
10 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
2 celery sticks with leaves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, roughly chopped
20 cloves
FOR THE GLAZE
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons soft brown sugar
150 ml (5 fl oz/scant 2/3 cup) orange juice
zest of 1 clementine
squeeze of ketchup
TO SERVE
Dijon mustard
Flat-leaf Parsley Sauce (see recipe below)
Method
Place the ham into a very large pot and add the peppercorns, bay leaves and chopped vegetables. Pour over enough water to cover the ham and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 3½ hours, topping up with water as necessary.
When the ham is cooked, the meat will be firm. Remove the pot from the heat and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4).
For the glaze, mix together the mustard, sugar, orange juice, clementine zest and ketchup in a bowl.
Drain the cooled ham of its cooking liquor and remove the skin, leaving as much fat on as possible. Evenly score the fat all over using the tip of a sharp knife and stud each diamond shape with a clove. Place the ham in a roasting tin (pan).
Using a pastry brush, brush half of the glaze evenly all over the ham. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove and brush the rest of the glaze on top. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until the glaze is sticky, golden brown and
slightly set.
Serve with mustard and parsley sauce.
Flat-Leaf Parsley Sauce
PARSLEY SAUCE and glazed ham? Yes, please! For me, parsley sauce is the sauce of dreams – a classic combination that is simply delicious.
Flat-leaf parsley is robust and stands up to the rich white sauce.
Serves 8
Ingredients
30 g (1 oz) unsalted butter
30 g (1 oz/¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
600 ml (20 fl oz/2½ cups) milk
8 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cornish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon to make a roux and cook for 1–2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and use a small whisk to gradually stir in the milk to get a smooth sauce.
Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the parsley and serve immediately.
