Sugar & Spice Christmas Ham Sandwich Station

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Dunnes Stores centre cut smoked ham fillet
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp peppercorns

For the glaze:

• 100g Dunnes Stores Irish Whisky marmalade
• 2 tbsps light brown sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling
• 2 tbsps Dijon mustard
• Pinch Dunnes Stores cinnamon
• Pinch Dunnes Stores ground ginger
• 1 jar Dunnes Stores whole cloves
• 250ml good quality cider

To serve:

• 10 - 12 Dunnes Stores floury rolls
• 1 tub Dunnes Stores garlic dip
• 1 jar Dunnes Stores chargrilled pepper relish
• 1 jar Dunnes Stores mixed roasted peppers
• 1 jar Dunnes Stores Mustard with Honey
• 1 tub Dunnes Stores beetroot & apple slaw
• 1 jar wholegrain mustard
• 1 jar pickled gherkins, drained
• 1 jar pickled silverskin onions, drained

METHOD

1. Weigh the ham and calculate the cooking time, allowing 15 minutes per 450g.
2. Place in a large pot, cover with water and bring to the boil, skimming off any scum. Add the celery, onion, carrot, bay leaves and peppercorns and return to the boil, then cover, reduce the heat and simmer until completely tender, occasionally skimming off any scum that rises to the top. If you are not sure about whether the ham is properly cooked check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer – it should be 60 C - the temperature will rise a little whilst cooling, Leave to cool in the cooking liquid.
3. Preheat the oven to 160°C/300°F/Gas Mark 3.
4. Drain the ham – the stock is a good base for a soup.
5. Mix the marmalade, brown sugar, Dijon and spices together in a small bowl.
6. Carefully peel away the skin, leaving the layer of white fat intact. Using a sharp knife, score the fat in thin diagonal lines, being careful not to cut into the meat. Brush the fat with the marmalade glaze, then stud with the cloves and sprinkle 1 tbsp extra sugar on top.
7. Place in a large roasting tin. Pour around the cider and cook for 30 minutes until golden, basting every 15 minutes to ensure an even glaze.
8. Remove the cooked ham from the oven, transfer to a serving platter and leave to rest for 15 minutes. The lovely juices left in the pan can be used to make a gravy for the ham or added to your turkey gravy, once you’ve skimmed off any excess fat.
9. Serve the ham in slices with all of the accoutrements and allow everyone to make their own sandwich - it’s a ham party!