Baked ham with new potatoes and salad cream
Baked ham is not just for Christmas: it’s also delicious for a summery high tea or Sunday lunch, served with fresh salad vegetables and old-fashioned, rich English salad cream.
Ingredients
For the ham
- 2.8kg/6lb 2oz smoked gammon joint, boned and rolled
- 600ml/21fl oz cider
- 1½ tsp black peppercorns
- 6 cloves
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 4 bay leaves
For the English salad cream
- 2 free-range eggs
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 4 tsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 100ml/3½fl oz vinegar (Moscatel or sweet sherry vinegar)
- 100–150ml/3½–5fl oz double or whipping cream
- few drops Tabasco or lemon juice (optional)
For the glaze
- 2 tbsp English mustard
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp clear honey
- 3–4 tbsp fine dried breadcrumbs
To serve
- boiled new potatoes, buttered
- lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, celery sticks, spring onions
- hard-boiled free-range eggs
Method
To test the saltiness of the gammon, cut a thin slice from the end of the raw joint and add it to a pan of simmering water for about 5 minutes, then taste. If it is very salty, soak the gammon in cold water overnight.
Put the gammon in a large pan and add the cider, then pour in enough water to cover the meat. Add the peppercorns, cloves, chilli flakes and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Skim off any foam from the surface, then immediately turn down the heat so that the water is barely simmering, half cover with a lid and cook for about 1½–2 hours or until the ham is cooked through (the internal temperature in the centre of the meat should reach 65C/150F when tested with a probe). Turn off the heat and leave the meat to cool in the liquid.
Meanwhile, make the salad cream. Whisk together the eggs, flour, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl. Boil the vinegar in a small pan until reduced by half. Whisk the reduced vinegar into the egg mixture, then set the bowl over a pan of just simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water). Stir over the heat with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Stir in the cream, taste and adjust the seasoning, adding Tabasco or lemon juice tif you like. If it is too thick, you can stir in a tablespoon or two of water. Store in a jam jar in the fridge until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
To make the glaze, mix together the mustard, egg yolk, cornflour and honey. Lift the ham out of the cooking liquid. Using a sharp knife, cut off the string and carefully cut away the rind, leaving 3–4mm/about ⅛in of fat. Brush the ham with the glaze, then sprinkle over the breadcrumbs, using the back of a spoon to press them into the glaze. Bake for 10–15 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool completely before slicing.
Serve the ham with the buttered new potatoes, a selection of salad vegetables, the boiled eggs and salad cream.
Recipe Tips
You can reserve the ham stock to use in soups or stews. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
