1 Get your gammon joint out of the fridge an hour or so before cooking and rinse in plenty of cold water. Put the joint into a large saucepan, cover with cold water and gently bring to simmering point (around 85°C) and simmer for twenty minutes, removing any scum from the surface. If the water tastes salty, discard and start again. Better safe than sorry, and if it isn’t too salty you can use the broth for a soup.

2 Once you have refilled your pan with water, add some stock vegetables (onions, leeks, carrots, celery), bouquet garni, peppercorns, juniper berries (a few) and whatever else springs to mind. Some of the water can be substituted for cider, ginger beer, coke, or whatever else you fancy. I usually stick with a small cup of cider vinegar. It is important that the water temperature doesn’t go much above 85°C or the meat will dry out and go a little stringy.

3 Total simmering time should be an hour and a half for 1.5kg, 2½ hours for 3kg, and 3½ hours for 5kgs. When time’s up, take the joint out of the saucepan and leave to cool until you can peel off the skin without burning your fingers. Score the fat with a small, sharp knife without cutting into the meat. Move to a roasting tray.

4 Heat the oven to 200°C. Glaze with something sweet; a mixture of apple concentrate, brown sugar, mixed spice and mustard powder; or marmalade with brandy and cloves; or honey and mustard. Whatever you decide on, smear it on and bake for 15-30 minutes depending on size until it starts to caramelise. Remove and leave to stand, lightly covered with foil, for several minutes before carving.

5 For the leek and parsley sauce, warm a mix of 150ml each of milk and veg stock and add a couple of heaped tablespoons chopped parsley. Gently simmer for a couple of minutes and keep warm. Wash and chop a couple of leeks and gently sauté in 50g of butter until soft. Stir in 30g plain flour and add the milk/stock/parsley mix plus a couple of bay leaves, as though you were making a white sauce. When it thickens, season and stir in a
½tsp of Dijon mustard. Finish with a little freshly grated nutmeg. Serve with thick slices of gammon