Glazed Ham for the Holiday

This is a great alternative to turkey, and it takes a relatively short time for a roast. The ham that you purchase is usually smoked already, so it is only a matter of glazing and warming it through. You can boil away the excess salt first thing in the morning (tip from Nigella). The recipe comes from an old issue of Vogue Entertaining Australia. Once we even slow-roasted it on the barbecue! The key is to baste it regularly. These two recipes work well together at the same temperature. 

5-6lb (2kg) whole cooked ham
1/3 cup (80ml) Dijon mustard
½ cup (120ml) honey
½ cup (110g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
Handful of whole cloves 

• To reduce excessive saltiness, place the ham into a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Remove the ham and discard the water. 
• Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C). 
• In a small saucepan, bring the mustard, honey and sugar to a boil. Stir until combined and the sugar has dissolved completely. 
• With a sharp knife, score the surface of the ham in a 2-inch diamond pattern and press a clove into each cross. 
• Put the ham in a large baking dish filled with 1-inch water. 
• Pour half of the glaze over the ham, brushing to coat evenly, if necessary. 
• Bake for one hour, basting with glaze every 20 minutes.

GRATIN DAUPHINOISE (my daughter's favorite recipe!)

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled
1lb (450g) white waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
½ pint (250ml) heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C). 
• Rub a heatproof baking dish liberally with the garlic and butter (discard garlic when done). 
• Layer the potatoes into the dish, seasoning with salt and pepper between each layer. 
• Pour in the cream, just enough to cover the top layer of potatoes. 
• Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. 
• Turn up the heat to 400°F (200°C) and bake for a further 15 minutes to brown off the top.