Sweet Ham with Red Cabbage

I even ate the fat

getting closer to christmas and i start to crave that deep salty cloviness that finds it's way into every dish - time for ham. classic and festive, with little musty twangs of heat and a glossy cryalised honey finish - the parsnips cook in the ham fat and absorb all those lovely salty juices while camamalising ever so slightly from the melted honey. the sweet and fresh crunchiness of the red cabbage cuts through the saltiness of the ham and adds a nice bright lift to the dish.

Ham

650g Smoked gammon joint

10-12 cloves

3 tlbsps honey (manuka)

3-4 tbsp mustard

2 shallots

100g sliced parsnips

1 pear (quartered)

fresh tymne

1 tsp salt

black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180degrees. Chop the ends of the shallots and cut them in half width wise. Place on baking tray with sliced pear and some oil. Pierce the ham with little holes - put a clove in each hole. Cover the ham with a little olive oil, mustard, honey, sprinkle with tymne and salt and pepper.  Place on top of the sliced shallots on the baking tray (shallots should act as a platform). Place the parsnips around the ham, drizzle with Olive oil. Cook in the oven on the middle shelf for 35 minutes. Check a couple of times during cooking, add a little more honey and mustard if looks dry. Let stand for 20minutes before carving.

Red cabbage

2 handfuls of finely chopped red cabbage

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp salt

50g butter

2 sprigs of fresh tymne 

2 handfuls of spinach

Heat butter in a pan. Add red cabbage and salt and pepper. Cooked with lid on pan for 5minutes. Add spinach and balsamic vinegar and a drop more butter. Cook for 2 minutes. Serve.