IRISH WHISKY AND MAPLE GLAZED HAM

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

5kg/11lb gammon on the bone

4 celery sticks, roughly chopped

2 onions, sliced

1 bunch of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

3 teaspoons allspice

200ml/7fl oz maple syrup

200ml/7fl oz Irish whiskey

1 teaspoon whole cloves

Method

Soak the gammon overnight to remove excess salt. Weigh the gammon joint and calculate the cooking time. Allow 20 minutes per 1lb plus 20 minutes extra. Place in a large pan cover with water and bring to the boil.

Add celery, onion, thyme and peppercorns. Simmer for 4 hours. Skim off any scum that rises to the top. Cook until the bone end comes away freely. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle.

Carefully remove the skin leaving some fat on, score the fat with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern taking care not to cut into the meat.

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/Fan 160C. Place the whiskey, maple syrup, allspice and clove in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for approximately 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Stud the ham with cloves and place ham in a tray with a little water. Brush some of the syrup over the ham. Baste the ham with some of the syrup. Cook in oven for 1 hour. It is very important to keep basting to give the ham an even glaze.

TRADITIONAL THORNHILL TURKEY WITH TRIMMINGS

It's definitely worth paying the extra to get a free range turkey, one of the best suppliers who is a favourite of mine is Thornhill Farm based in Blacklion.

Sage, Onion and Pine Nut Stuffing

1 large onion, peeled and diced

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp chopped sage

2oz pine nuts, toasted

6oz fresh white breadcrumbs

3oz butter

1 tbsp chopped apricots

1 x 12lb turkey

Method

Melt Butter in pan and cook onions for a few minutes until they soften. Add the herbs, apricots and pine nuts. Mix well. Stir mixture into the white bread crumbs. Mix well. It's now ready to use and stuff the turkey.

Trimmings

4 streaky bacon rashers

5oz pitted prunes

1 pkt cocktail sausages

Herbs, parsley sage and bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 190C fan, 170C,

gas mark 5.

Rub the skin of the turkey all over with the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Stuff the neck cavity of the turkey with the stuffing. Fold the skin back over the stuffing and place under the turkey.Turn turkey breast side up and tie the top of the drum sticks with string. Weigh the turkey to calculate required cooking time (approx 20-25 minutes per 1lb and add 20 minutes. Resting time 10 minutes).

When you push a point of a knife into the leg of the turkey and the juices run clear, it's ready.

Loosely wrap in foil, leaving air to circulate around turkey. Baste. (Spoon over juice every 40 minutes). Unwrap foil for final 40 minutes to one hour. Add trimmings (see my tips) for final 30 minutes. Transfer to warm plate, remove strings, cover with foil leave to rest and garnish with trimmings and herbs.

For the trimmings

Cut bacon into small strips, use to wrap prunes. Add cocktail sausages and bacon-wrapped prunes to the turkey tin for the final 30 minutes .

GRAVY KNOW-HOW

Remove roast from tin. Heat juices in roasting tin over a gentle heat. Slowly stir in 1 tbsp flour. Cook for two minutes. Pour in 3 tbsp of port or red wine, gradually slowly add 1 pint stock and bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes until reduced and thickened. Season to taste.

If you have the giblets with your turkey make a giblet stock. I always soak the giblets over night in cold water then drain water. Place giblets in a pan with 6 peppercorns, 1 carrot and chopped onion, 2 bay leaves and thyme. Pour in two pints of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes.