Ingredients:-

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 leeks, thickly sliced
• 3 carrots, thickly sliced
• Small handful fresh thyme, leaves picked, or chopped fresh parsley
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 500ml dry cider
• 8 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1kg floury potatoes, such as maris piper or desirée, chopped
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 75g butter 100ml milk

• For the gammon:
• 1 (about 2kg) gammon
• 1 and a half tablespoons Dijon or English mustard
• 2 tablespoons clear honey

Method:-

• Calculate the total cooking time for the gammon, allow 30 minutes for each 500 grams plus another 30 minutes. Boiling time is half this figure, the first roast time is half the total time less 25 minutes and the final roast is for 25 minutes.
• For the gammon: place the gammon into a large casserole and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for half the total cooking time. Remove the joint from the casserole and cool.
• Meanwhile, pour the stock through a sieve into a jug and reserve, discarding the contents of the sieve.
• Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 4.
• Place the gammon in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for the remaining cooking time less 25 minutes.
• Increase the oven temperature to 220°C/gas 7.
• Open up the foil and lift the gammon out onto a large chopping board. Drain off all the juices. Make a couple of long cuts through the outer layer of skin (but not the fat underneath). Peel the fat off in strips, taking care, as it will be extremely hot.
• Mix the mustard and honey together, and then smear thickly all over the layer of fat. Next score the fat with parallel lines first in one direction and then at an angle to it, to cover the joint in a pattern of diamonds. Push a clove into the centre of each diamond.
• Return the joint to the oven for a final 25 minutes or until richly browned and glazed.
• If you are serving the joint hot, let it rest in a warm place for 20-30 minutes before carving.
• While the joint is resting, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based casserole. Add the onion, leeks and thyme leaves and season well. Fry over a medium heat until softened slightly and just golden brown.
• Steam the carrots for about 7 minutes until they are al denté and add to the leeks.
• Add the plain flour and stir in well.
• Increase the heat, pour in the cider and 300ml of the reserved gammon stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and add half the crème fraîche.
• Season with salt (to taste) and black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened nicely.
• Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes until tender, then drain.
• Add the rest of the crème fraîche, mustard, 50g of butter and the milk. Season well and mash until smooth.