There is something very comforting about a glazed ham any time of the year. We always associate it with Christmas, but why not try it on St Patrick’s Day? The ham fillet is a very lean cut and is a great one to serve hot or cold. It’s perfect if you’ve got a crowd to feed for the weekend’s celebration, as you can use the leftovers for lunch or as part of a breakfast.

Hasselback potatoes are a Swedish idea and they look great with the ham. The potatoes are cut in half and sliced, and sunflower oil gives a lovely crispness. They really are impressive to look at.

The marmalade in the glaze cuts through the richness of the ham and the mixed spice is one of my favourites.

Apple tart is one of the first recipes a lot of people learn. My mother used to put whole cloves into it, but I use ground cloves and some ground cinnamon.

Bramley apples are great in this recipe. Cut them nice and chunky. And here is a tip, when you make pastry make double and freeze half. It’ll be ready whenever you need it.

Happy cooking,

Neven

Marmalade glazed ham with hasselback roasties

Serves 10-12

2.3kg (5lb) ham fillet

4 celery sticks, roughly chopped

2 onions, sliced

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 heaped tsp black peppercorns

½ tsp mixed spice

6 tbsp marmalade

For the roasties:

1kg (2 1/4lb) baby potatoes

5 tbsp sunflower oil

Steamed fine green beans, to serve

1 Place the ham in a large pan. Cover it with water, then add the celery, onions, thyme and peppercorns. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for one and 1/4 hours, skimming as necessary. Leave to cool a little.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). To prepare the roasties, rest each potato on a large serving spoon and cut widthways at 3mm intervals – cutting the potato on a spoon stops you slicing all the way through. Repeat with all the potatoes.

3 Heat the oil in a roasting tin for five minutes, then roll in the potatoes and season with salt. Roast for another 45 minutes until cooked through and golden brown, basting occasionally.

4 Remove the ham from the pan and then cut away the rind and any excess fat. Score the remainder in a criss-cross pattern and place in a roasting tin. Sprinkle over mixed spice and then smear over the marmalade. Pour about 300ml of the cooking liquid around the ham to keep it moist and prevent the marmalade from burning into the tin.

5 Roast the ham for 30 minutes until sticky and caramelised around the edges. Leave to rest for 15 minutes, then carve into slices and serve with the hasselback roasties and green beans. CL