Ham with Seasonal Sides

Serves10 Prepare30 Mins Cooks40 Mins (Ham) + 30 Mins (Sprouts) + 45 Mins (Carrots) + 1 Hour (Cabbage)

Christmas Ham

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, thickly sliced
  • 10 cloves, plus extra for studding
  • 1 medium gammon joint, approx 1.3kg
  • 1½ litre bottle ginger beer
  • 1 tbsp English mustard
  • 3 tbsp ginger preserve

Method

1. Put the onion and 10 cloves in the base of the slow cooker then nestle in the gammon joint. Pour over the ginger beer then cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours until the gammon is tender, but still holding its shape. You can cool then chill the gammon at this stage if you prefer.

2. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Carefully remove the skin from the gammon leaving a layer of fat behind. Score the fat in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife, making sure you don't cut into the meat, then stud the centre of each diamond with cloves.

3. Mix the mustard and ginger preserve in a bowl, spoon or brush over the gammon then bake for 20 mins until golden and sticky. If roasting from cold you will need to add another 20 mins to the cooking time.

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

Ingredients

  • 1½ kg Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 200g smoked bacon lardons
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the sprouts and cook for 5 mins. Drain and refresh in cold water.

2. Toss the sprouts with all the other ingredients in a bowl and season with a pinch of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Tip onto a large baking tray in a single layer. Put in the oven and roast for 30 mins, tossing halfway through, until the bacon is crispy and the sprouts are golden and tender.

Butter Star Anise Carrots

Ingredients

  • 9 medium carrots, peeled, topped and tailed
  • 250g/9oz butter
  • 150g/5½oz sugar
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 4 star anise

Method

1. Use a clean scourer to smooth the carrots and remove any peel marks (optional).

2. In a pan combine 400ml/14fl oz of water, the butter, sugar, salt and star anise. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the carrots. Cook until the carrots are tender (approximately 45 minutes) and the volume of liquid has reduced by half.

3. Serve the carrots as a side dish with the reduced cooking liquid poured over

Red Cabbage

Ingredients

  • 1 large red cabbage (about 1kg/2lb 4oz)
  • 25g butter
  • 2 red onions, finely chopped
  • finely grated zest and juice 1 orange
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method

1. Peel off the outer leaves of the cabbage, then cut into quarters and slice out the core. Use a sharp knife or the slicing attachment of a food processor to thinly slice the cabbage.

2. Heat the butter in a large saucepan, then tip in the onions and gently fry until softened, about 5 mins. Add the orange zest to the pan along with the cinnamon stick, then cook for 1 min more. Add the shredded cabbage, then pour over the port, red wine vinegar, orange juice and 150ml water. Bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 45 mins-1 hr until the cabbage is softened.

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