SERVES 6-8

1 ham or gammon joint
1 onion
1 carrot
1 bay leaf
freshly parsley stalks
black peppercorns
demerara sugar
dry English mustard
a handful of cloves

1. Soak the joint overnight in cold water to remove excess salt.
2. Place it in a large saucepan of cold water and add the onion, carrot, bay leaf, parsley stalks and peppercorns. Bring slowly to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes per 450 g | 1 lb. For large joints (i.e. 3.5 kg | 8 lb upwards) allow 20 minutes per 450 g | 1 lb.
3. Leave the joint to cool slightly in the stock. The lift out and carefully pill of the skin without removing any of the fat. Reserve the cooking liquor as ham stock.
4. Preheat the over to 220°C | 424°F | gas mark 7.
5. While the ham is still warm, press a thin even layer of dry English mustard over the surface then cover completely with a layer of demerara sugar.
6. Using a sharp knife, cut a lattice pattern across the joint through the sugar and fat. Press on again sugar that falls off. Slick a clove into each diamond segment, or into the cuts where the lines cross.
7. Bake the joint for about 20 minutes, or until brown and slightly caramelized.

NOTES: If you haven’t time to soak salty ham or gammon overnight, cook it for 30 minutes in plain water and then transfer to a pan of simmering water with the vegetables and herbs. The joint can be decorated with a ham frill: to make one, cut a piece of greaseproof paper to about 12 x 30 cm | 5 x 12 in. Fold it loosely in half lengthways, without pressing down the fold. Make 5 cm | 2 in cuts, 1 cm| ½ in apart, parallel to the end of the paper, cutting through both thicknesses from the folded side towards the oven sides. Make the cuts all along the strip. Now open out the paper and refold it lengthways in the opposite direction. Wrap the frill round the ham bone and secure with a paper clip.

wine: FULL RED

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Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]