Classic French

Glazed ham with picalillli

Name: Glazed ham with picalillli
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 5kg Ham on the bone; 2 large Onion, roughly chopped; 2 medium Carrot, roughly chopped; 1 stick Celery, roughly chopped; 2 leaves Bay; 4 sprigs Thyme; 1 bunch Parsley stalks; ½ Bulb Garlic, roughly chopped; 1 tsp Black peppercorns; 4ltr Water, boiling; 40g English mustard powder; 60ml Dark rum; 10g Mixed spice; 5g Ground coriander; ¼ tsp Ground cloves; 1 tsp Fennel seeds, toasted and finely ground; ½ tsp Black peppercorns, finely ground; ¼ tsp Smoked paprika; 80ml Honey, runny; 40g Demerara sugar; 350ml Cider vinegar; 350ml Water; 7g Turmeric; 4g Ginger powder; 7g Yellow mustard seeds; 7g Black mustard seeds; 200g Cauliflower florets 2cm; 200g French beans, cut in half; 200g Red pepper, diced 1cm; 200g Onion, diced 1cm

Carnivore heaven!

Prep 20 minsCook 180 minsServes 12

A glazed ham is a Christmas and New Year tradition that was brought to Britain by the Anglo Saxons but probably originated with the Norse people in Medieval times, and it's no surprise that it is still so popular today. What carnivore could resist a huge piece of caramelised meat glistening on the chopping board with homemade spicy pickles to go with it? Try different combinations of vegetables in the piccalilli to make it your own. The piccalilli can be made well in advance and stored for up to 3 months. The older it gets, the softer the vegetables will become, and it will all depend on the size of the pieces of vegetables and how long they are blanched for.

Ingredients

For the ham:

5kgHam on the bone
2 largeOnion, roughly chopped
2 mediumCarrot, roughly chopped
1 stickCelery, roughly chopped
2 leavesBay
4 sprigsThyme
1 bunchParsley stalks
1/2 BulbGarlic, roughly chopped
1 tspBlack peppercorns
4ltrWater, boiling

To glaze the ham:

40gEnglish mustard powder
60mlDark rum
10gMixed spice
5gGround coriander
1/4 tspGround cloves
1 tspFennel seeds, toasted and finely ground
1/2 tspBlack peppercorns, finely ground
1/4 tspSmoked paprika
80mlHoney, runny
40gDemerara sugar

For the picalilli:

350mlCider vinegar
350mlWater
7gTurmeric
4gGinger powder
7gYellow mustard seeds
7gBlack mustard seeds
200gCauliflower florets 2cm
200gFrench beans, cut in half
200gRed pepper, diced 1cm
200gOnion, diced 1cm
200gCarrots, cut in half and sliced 2mm
200gCaster sugar
20gEnglish mustard powder
60gPlain flour

Method

1
Preheat your oven to 150°C. In a large, deep roasting tray, place the ham on top of all the chopped vegetables and herbs.
Place in the oven, pour in the boiling water and loosely cover with tin foil. Cook for 3 hours, then carefully remove from the oven and place the ham onto a clean tray to cool slightly.
Strain the cooking liquor and leave this to cool before storing in the fridge or freezer for another dish. (This ham stock is perfect for pea and ham soup, risottos or for setting it with gelatine to make a ham terrine.
)
2
After about 10 minutes, the ham should be cool enough to handle.
Carefully remove the skin and discard.
Ensure you leave as much fat as you can as this will help to give you a lovely crust, plus the fat is where all the flavour is!
3
To glaze the ham, mix together the mustard powder with the rum to a smooth paste and lightly brush this paste all over the ham.
Mix together all the spices and evenly cover the ham.
Finish with the honey and sprinkle with the sugar.
Place in the oven for 40 minutes, making sure you baste halfway through.
4
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least half an hour, or wait until it has chilled overnight in the fridge.
Serve with homemade pickles, chutneys or my very British piccalilli recipe (next card).
5
For the picalilli: In a large saucepan on a high heat, bring the vinegar, water, spices and mustard seeds to the boil.
Add all the vegetables and cook on a gentle boil for 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, drain off the vegetables onto a clean tray and leave to cool.
6
Add the sugar and bring the mixture back to the boil.
With a whisk, in a small bowl, mix the mustard powder and plain flour with a little warm water to make a paste, then whisk this into the boiling cooking liquor.
It is important that you ensure the mixture is whisked in thoroughly or you will have a few lumps.
If this happens, continue to whisk until they are absorbed.
Reduce the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes whisking from time to time to ensure it doesn’t catch on the bottom.
7
Place your cooked vegetables into a suitable lidded container and pour over the hot thickened liquid.
Allow to cool before storing in the fridge for to 2-3 months……if you don’t eat it all by then!

Chef's Tips

“
Cooking times: 8kg ham on the bone – 6.5 hours cooking time, plus 40 minutes to caramelise 5kg ham on the bone – 3 hours cooking time, plus 40 minutes to caramelise 2.5kg ham on the bone – 2 hours cooking time, plus 40 minutes to caramelise

Cooking is always an expression of care and generosity. Enjoy this dish.

Bon appétit!