Redcurrant-glazed ham

In a large saucepan, cover the gammon with water and bring to the boil, then immediately discard the water. Cover with more fresh water and bring to the boil again. Now add all the other ingredients for the ham, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 11/2 hours, removing any foam as it forms on the surface. Make sure that the ham is covered with liquid at all times, topping up with boiling water as needed. Turn off the heat and let the ham rest in the stock for at least 4 hours until completely cold or preferably cool, then cover and chill overnight.

Preheat the oven to 140ºC, gas mark 1 and line an oven tray with a large layer of foil and then a layer of baking parchment. Curl up the corners around the ham to create a lip to contain the sticky glaze. Warm the redcurrant jelly for the glaze in a small saucepan until liquid. Set aside.

Using a sharp knife, cut the skin off the ham, taking care to remove as little fat underneath as possible. Score the fat with a criss-cross pattern. Dot the cloves into the middle of each scored diamond shape. Place the ham in the prepared tray and brush over the redcurrant glaze.

Bake for 2 hours, basting occasionally with the cooking juices. Increase the oven temperature to 200ºC, gas mark 6 and cook for a final 10 minutes to give a glossy finish. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Serve warm or cold. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 days.