Usually, remembering the vast ovens of dads and the smell that would consequently breeze through the house, I would roast the meat, but I decided to try something different. First, I simmered it in a stock base to cook and plump with juiciness, then I glazed with a sticky, sweet and tangy sauce and then finally roasted in the oven to crisp and brown. The finished ham gives an incredible salty taste to the aromatic water which requires nothing more than some peas or lentils to become a hearty, satisfying soup.
Recipe : Gently simmered ham (Meal no 1)
1 piece of ham or gammon, raw, about 3 lbs in weight
1/2 leek, washed well and shredded roughly
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs each of fresh thyme and rosemary
10 black peppercorns
6 - 8 cups of water or cider (or a combination of both)
Weigh the ham and approximate about 20 minutes of simmering time per 0.5kg or 1 lb.
Place the leeks, bay leaves, peppercorns and herbs in a large pot and pour in the water. Slowly bring up to a gentle boil over medium heat.
Add the ham, bring back to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low and cover.
Simmer the ham for the time calculated and remove from the heat. Uncover and allow to cool in the liquid for a while.
The ham itself remains incredibly juicy and even after a blast in the oven once slathered in the glaze, it still retains its moistness inside. I can't say it looked particularly appealing at this stage, but looks can be deceptive..
The glaze was simply maple syrup, marmalade and Dijon mustard. Perhaps a touch too sweet, a little less syrup and a touch more mustard may have produced a better balance, but it's east to rectify this when cooking it by tasting and tweaking.
Recipe : Glaze (meal no 1)
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp marmalade
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Gently heat together over low - medium heat in a small pan until thickened and bubbling. Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl.
Once the ham has cooled, remove some of the fat and make a diamond pattern in the remaining fat with a knife, trying not to cut into the flesh. Liberally brush the glaze all over the ham and roast for 15 minutes in a hot 475oF oven. Remove, allow to rest for a while before carving.
Meal no 1 was simply sliced ham, cauliflower cheese and leek sauce. Neil enjoys these meat and two veg type meals, for me they can be a little boring, unless each component is outstanding. I prefer something with a little more interaction, such as a stir fry where the meat becomes one part of the overall finished dish, rather than a few slices piled over here, a few potatoes there etc.
I don't think my leek sauce was quite what Neil was expecting. I don't think his mum would use whipping cream, Vermouth and parsley in her version and when quizzed Neil commented he thinks she used leeks, flour, butter and milk only, sort of a leek bechamel.
Recipe : Leek sauce (meal no 1)
1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp butter
1 leek, washed well and shredded finely
1/4 tsp mustard powder or Dijon
1/4 cup Vermouth or white wine
3 tbsp whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Heat the butter and oil in a pan over medium heat and add the leeks. Stir well, cover and reduce the heat to low.
Let the leeks slowly saute for about 30 - 45 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally until they are very soft and sweet.
Add the Vermouth and simmer gently for another 10 minutes or so to cook out the bitter alcohol flavour. Add the cream, mustard and seasoning and stir well. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Puree the sauce in a blender or processor until smooth, return to the pan and add the parsley. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Reheat gently and serve poured over the ham.
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