Ham in juniper and apple juice with parsnip mash
Cloudy apple juice mellows the saltiness of ham and complements the sweet parsnip and spicy Dijon mash to create a hearty, flavoursome dish
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
20
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
120
MINUTES
Ingredients
2kg boneless ham/gammon
2l cloudy apple juice
12 juniper berries
12 black peppercorns
1 carrot
1 celery stick
1 leek
large bunch of parsley
2 bay leaves
For the mash:
800g parsnips, peeled and diced
80g butter
1 tbsp French Dijon mustard
salt
pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
drizzle of rapeseed oil
Method
Place the ham in a large pot and fill with cold water. Bring the water to boil and then take it off the heat.
Drain the water and rinse the ham.
Return the ham to the pot and pour in the apple juice and bring it slowly to the boil.
Cut the leek and celery sticks in half and add to the pot.
Cut the carrot into large chunks and add to pot along with the juniper berries which you can crush lightly with a knife and the peppercorns.
Add the parsley and bay leaves to the pot.
When the apple juice has been brought to the boil, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and scoop off any scum that has formed on the top.
Put the lid askew on the pot and leave simmer for two hours before checking the ham to see if it is cooked through.
Cut the parsnips into small ¼ inch cubes. Melt the butter and oil in a large pan on a medium heat.
Add the parsnip and stir to coat all of the pieces with butter. Cook for eight to 10 minutes until soft and sticking to the pan.
Reduce the heat to low and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
With a potato masher, crush the parsnip into a mash, adding a little more butter if needed. Stir the tablespoon of mustard through.
Leave the ham in the liquid for up to 20 minutes before carving.
Cut the ham into thick slices and drizzle with a little of the cooking liquor. Serve this with a good dollop of the mustard parsnip mash on each plate.
