Preparation time
30 minutes
Cooking time
65-80 minutes
Serves
A crowd.
Lyndey Milan's Christmas ham is both a visual and gustatory feast. Rosé and light reds are wonderful, all-round companions for this Christmas classic: Gamay, or youthful Pinot Noir. For whites, think low acidity: Grüner Veltliner, Fiano, or Marsanne.
INGREDIENTS
1 whole leg ham (approx. 7–8 kg), on the bone
1/2 cup (125ml) tamarind purée (or 60–80ml concentrate)
1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup (60ml) dark rum
1 tbsp (20ml) soy sauce
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Mango and chilli slaw
4 cups (320g) finely shredded wombok (Chinese cabbage)
1 large ripe mango, peeled, flesh cut into matchsticks
1 large green mango, peeled, flesh cut into matchsticks
1 long red chilli, deseeded, finely sliced
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly torn
1/2 cup (70g) roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp (40ml) lime juice (1 lime)
1 tbsp (20ml) fish sauce
3 tsp caster sugar
METHOD
1 Pre-heat oven to 160°C.
2 Place ham on a rack in a large baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and increase oven temperature to 180°C. This makes the skin easier to remove. Cut through the skin about 10cm from the shank end of the leg in a decorative zig zag pattern.
3 Gently run your fingers between the rind and fat. Start pulling the skin from the widest edge of ham and continue to pull carefully away from the fat up to the decorative pattern. Remove the skin completely. Using a sharp knife, score across the fat at about 3cm intervals, cutting just through the surface of the top fat. Do not cut too deeply or the fat will spread apart during cooking. Score in the opposite direction if desired to form a diamond pattern.
4 Meanwhile, combine tamarind purée, brown sugar, rum, soy sauce, ginger, coriander and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. If too thick, thin with some hot water.
5 Place the ham on a rack in a large roasting pan. Brush generously with glaze. Bake for 45–60 minutes, basting with glaze every 20 minutes, until golden and sticky. Set aside to cool completely.
6 For the slaw: place wombok, mangoes, chilli, mint, coriander and peanuts in a large bowl. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour dressing over slaw and toss to combine.