For a change from the usual turkey, or a Boxing Day gathering, try one of these showstopping centrepieces
photographs CLARE WINFIELD
Hot honey-glazed gammon
Spicy, sticky and sweet, this gammon is just as fabulous in Boxing Day sandwiches as it is for the main event.
SERVES 6-8 PREP 15 mins plus 1 hr brining and 20 mins resting COOK 1 hr 30 mins MORE EFFORT
2.5kg smoked gammon joint, tied 2 onions, skin on, halved 2 bay leaves 1 thyme sprig 2 carrots, roughly chopped 6 cloves 8 black peppercorns or 1 tsp pink peppercorns, if you have them
For the glaze
100g honey 3 tbsp hot sauce 1-2 tsp chilli flakes
1 Put the gammon and all the other ingredients, except those for the glaze, in your largest, deepest pot. Cover completely with cold water. Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 1 hr. Turn off the heat and leave in the liquid for 1 hr with the lid on.
2 Remove the gammon from the stock and set aside to cool a little (keep the stock and freeze it to use as a base for soup). Meanwhile, tip the honey, hot sauce and chilli flakes into a small pan. Put over a medium heat and stir until it is all mixed and gently bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3 Once the gammon has cooled but still slightly warm, peel away the layer of skin on the top of the gammon joint leaving the fat remaining. Score the fat with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a large roasting tin that fits the gammon comfortably.
4 Put the gammon in the roasting tin and cover with the glaze all over, reserving some to glaze during cooking and at the end. Roast for 25 mins, glazing halfway through. Once cooked, it should be golden, slightly charred and sticky. Remove from the oven and glaze for a final time, then leave to rest for 20 mins. Serve with all the trimmings. Will keep well wrapped in the fridge for up to four days.
GOOD TO KNOW gluten free PER SERVING (8) 492 kcals • fat 27g • saturates 9g • carbs 9g • sugars 9g • fibre 0.1g • protein 52g • salt 7g
Clementine, fennel & cranberry roast salmon
Serving a whole salmon on a platter gives a sense of occasion and it pairs well with the mellow citrus tang of clementines and seasonal cranberries.
SERVES 6-8 PREP 15 mins COOK 30-35 mins EASY
1 whole salmon fillet 4 tbsp olive oil 5 clementines, 4 sliced, 1 zested and juiced 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced 150g cranberries ½ small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
