Ham

At Christmas you will find a glazed ham is a lifesaver. I like cooking as you know but when you have guests you can't spend every minute in the kitchen. They begin to feel somewhat ignored. But they do expect to be fed. The ham will do it's job. And don't think of it only at Christmas but any time you are having a crowd.

Glazing a ham is quite easy. We usually do Nigella's cranberry glaze. Ignore the instructions for cooking. We buy them already cooked here - the glaze is not complicated. This year we did an apricot glaze from Dish Magazine (issue 27). We forgot to photograph it but it really did look like this. It was delicious, but Peter says the cranberry one is easier. What glaze do you use?

Don't overlook serving it hot on the right occasion, however we glaze on Christmas Eve & start eating Christmas night - first with new boiled potatoes & salad. Over the coming days the ham appears in many guises. On sandwiches with rocket or baby spinach and cranberry sauce or blueberry chutney. Make a pasta salad - this is my classic tuna pasta but diced ham is perfect. Cook some small coloured pasta shapes according to the packet. Add a combination of diced spring onion, diced capsicum, peas & corn, hard boiled egg, radish - really whatever you have in the fridge plus diced ham (or a tin of tuna) and mix with mayonnaise. Perfect lunch and travels well for a picnic.

One evening some were off to watch the Unicycle World Championship so I cooked some fettuccine & tossed it with pesto & diced ham. Make a pea & ham risotto. Before you know it the ham will be gone and you will miss it.

When it's done throw the ham hock in a pot with 500g green split peas, a diced onion and some mint & a bay leaf and simmer for several hours. Freeze for the cooler weather (if there's any left...). Your ham has served you well.

While our visitors were here, Peter also made a paella - not our usual mixta but a seafood-free version with chicken & pork. You can make a paella with whatever you have to hand - you need a wide thin bottomed pan and remember it's the opposite to risotto - DON'T stir.

For a final New Year's Day feast, before our guests left, we did a loin of pork with lentils, red cabbage, crushed potatoes & kumara.

Then we sent them on their way with a bag of ham sandwiches.