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Nigel Slater’s Ham with Juniper & Cider

“My gran’s house, 1964. Coal dust from the open fires, the freezing-cold outside loo and the slow and peaceful bubble of a ham cooking on the black leaded kitchen range. Even now, half a century later, I think of her whenever I boil a piece of ham, its fat slowly turning to quivering jelly, the meat puttering away in an aromatic bath of water” – Nigel Slater

15 minutes prep, 1 hour cook

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

A piece of boiling ham, 1kg

1 onion

2 large apples

1 small stick celery

A handful of parsley stalks

3 bay leaves

8 black peppercorns

6 juniper berries

1 litre still cider

Method

Place the ham in a large, deep saucepan. Peel and halve the onion, slice the apples in half, trim and scrub the carrots, cut the celery in half and add to the pan. Add the parsley stalks, bay leaves, black peppercorns and juniper berries, then pour in the cider and a litre of water. The ham may not be entirely submerged in liquid – no matter – it will partially cook in its own steam, and you can turn it over during cooking.

Bring the ham to the boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer, partially cover with a lid and leave to cook for 1 hour. Turn the ham halfway through cooking. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest for 10–15 minutes. Remove the ham from its liquor and slice thinly. Serve with artichokes and red cabbage and spoonfuls of its own apple-scented cooking liquor.