Inject some fresh Mediterranean flair into your Christmas feast this year with our glazed gammon recipe. We do celebrate in summer, after all!

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 2 hours 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the gammon
2 kg boneless gammon
3 onions, halved
4 carrots, roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 L apple juice
½ tbsp cloves
For the glaze
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup treacle sugar
3 tbsp English mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cinnamon
For the trimmings
6 apples
2 tbsp butter
175 g pomegranate seeds
Bay leaves, optional

METHOD
For the gammon
1. Add the gammon, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns to a large pot.
2. Pour over the apple juice and top up with water until the gammon is covered.
3. Bring to the boil over high heat. Then, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes.
4. Remove the gammon from the liquid. Cool slightly.
For the glaze
1. Whisk all the ingredients and season with salt.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line the bottom and sides of a baking tray with foil.
3. Remove the netting from the gammon (if applicable) and cut away the skin, leaving as much fat as possible. Score a criss-cross pattern in the fat. Stick a clove in the middle of each diamond.
4. Brush half of the glaze all over the gammon and place on the prepared tray.
5. Roast for 10–15 minutes, until golden and crispy, basting with more glaze.
For the trimmings
1. Halve some of the apples and cut the others into wedges.
2. Melt the butter in a pan. Fry the apples, flesh-side down, for 2–3 minutes, until golden.
3. Arrange on a lined baking tray. Brush with the remaining glaze. Roast for 10–15 minutes.
4. Decorate your glazed gammon with roasted apples, pomegranate and bay leaves.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

This dish is an excellent option for Christmas lunch, but what about Christmas Eve? Our prime rib roast with mashed white beans is the perfect option!

The post COOK THE COVER: Glazed gammon with roasted apples appeared first on MyKitchen.

Dinner is served! It doesn’t get any more festive than a delicious Christmas turkey braised in amazing flavour! Try our orange and bay-leaf turkey for a fresh citrus explosion.

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 3 hours 15 min

INGREDIENTS
3 kg turkey
8 oranges (5 juiced, 3 halved)
90 ml olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cardamom
Handful fresh bay leaves
Salt and pepper, plus extra to serve

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 250°C.
2. Remove the giblets from the turkey and pat the turkey dry with paper towel.
3. Combine orange juice, olive oil, garlic powder and cardamom.
4. Prepare a roasting tin with a roasting rack on top. Lay the bay leaves on top of the rack. Place the turkey on top of the rack, with the breast-side up.
5. Rub the orange mixture all over the turkey and under the skin on to the breast meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Tuck the wings under the turkey and tie the legs together with string.
7. Add 3 cups of water to the roasting tin. (This will create a steaming effect to cook the turkey evenly.)
8. Turn the oven temperature down to 200°C and roast the turkey for 45 minutes, until the skin is golden brown.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven and cover with foil. Reduce the heat to 180°C and cook for another 2 hours. During this time, baste the turkey every 20 minutes with the pan juices.
10. The turkey is ready when a thermometer inserted into it reads 74°C. Leave to rest for 20 minutes in the foil.
11. To serve, brush orange halves with 1 tsp olive oil and fry in a hot pan to caramelise.
12. Place the rested turkey on a plate and garnish with oranges and bay leaves.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Healthy Christmas turkey with orange and bay leaves appeared first on MyKitchen.