Honey Glazed Roast Gammon

This dish takes a few hours to cook, which makes it more suitable for a Sunday lunch or a week-end dinner; however, even though it requires time, it is not too demanding on the energy or skills front. The honey glaze and studded cloves not only add lashes of flavour but make it shiny, attractive and a real centerpiece when served at the table, too.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6-8 people)

• 2 Kg gammon (ham), boneless
• 1 carrot,
• 1 celery stick
• 1 leek
• 1 tsp of peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• 15 cloves for studding the gammon

Honey glaze

• 200 gr honey
• 100 ml water
• 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar

Place the gammon in a large pan and cover it with cold water. Add the carrot, celery and leek, peppercorn and bay leaves, and bring to the boil. Let is simmer for about two hours, skimming any impurities that come to the surface. Drain the gammon and place it on a chopping board to cool down for a little while. When cool enough to handle, score the fat in a criss-cross fashion, then stud it with cloves and place it in a roasting tray.

Make the glaze by bringing the honey, water and sherry vinegar to the boil. Pour all over the ham, then put it in a pre-heated oven at 190°C and cook it for 30 minutes, basting the meat with the juices and any glaze that runs in the roasting tin. Leave the ham to rest for 10/15 minutes before carving.

I served mine with roasted potatoes (proper ones, the size of a child's fist!), a green salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a selection of mustards. The ham is delicious eaten cold in sandwiches, too, and it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.