Preparation time: 20min

Cooking time: two hours

For the ham

1 boned rolled middle-cut gammon

10 peppercorns

1 onion

About 50 cloves

2 fresh bay leaves

English mustard powder

100g Muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)

1 pints dry cider

For the peaches

5 peaches

20 cloves

5 tbsp brown sugar

Good pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

60g butter

2 tbsp dark rum (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200C. You will need about 100g per person of gammon (it is better to get the butcher to take off the skin before tying the joint). Put in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then throw out the water. Add the peppercorns, bayleaves, a peeled onion - studded with three or four cloves - of a pint of dry cider and water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10min per lb plus 15min. Remove and cool. Skin the joint if needed, score in a criss-cross pattern and stud with cloves in the middle of the Xs. Mix some mustard powder with water to a sticky consistency, spread over the joint and pat on the brown sugar. Put the meat on a rack in a roasting tin, with of a pint of cider in the bottom. Oven roast for 7min per lb plus 10min.

Pop the peaches in a pan of boiling water and poach for a minute. Remove and place in cold water, then slip them out of their skins. Halve and remove stones.

Place the peaches cut side up in a heatproof dish and stud each half with a couple of cloves. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, the rum and brown sugar, and dot with butter. Grill for 5min and serve hot with the ham. This dish is delicious with rice and a sharp green salad.

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