Jan Bilton: Christmas dinner had a lovely life (+recipes)

Tropical Glazed Ham

Buying free-range meat is an ethical choice so the Christmas treats on my menu this season include New Zealand farm-raised pork and turkey from farms "down by the Southern Alps". The venison isn't totally free-range, meaning wild. It comes from deer that roam happily in their clean green pastures in Hawke's Bay. And the crayfish that freely wander our sea floors would have some cooks arguing that its flesh is not "meat". But they haven't seen the meaty-sized cray in my freezer. It is definitely a festive dish.

I chose a ham from Freedom Farms because the company believes in traceability from farm to plate. There are no cages, crates or pens on its farms and the animals enjoy an outdoor lifestyle that probably accounts for the full flavour and great texture of the ham. Similarly, the bird from Turkeyville, home of the Crozier family and 20,000 plus white-feathered turkeys, was free to range and forage for food outside but was also supplied with a mixture of natural grains, some of which were home-grown.

Champagne ham is the name given to a leg ham that has had most of the bone removed, leaving the hock to provide the traditional shape. This makes it very easy to carve.

Store vacuum-packed hams in the refrigerator in the protective packaging until ready to glaze. If the ham is to be served hot, first remove the skin, brush it with a glaze and cook at 160C for about 10 minutes for each 500g. If it is to be served cold, glaze then cook at 180C for about 45 minutes. During both methods of cooking, brush with more glaze three or four times.

To prepare a live cray, chill it to between 2C and 4C until it is well asleep. Then with a sharp instrument, spike it between the eyes or in the chest. Fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring it to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, put in the cray and cook for about 10 minutes, until the shell turns orange. Remove and plunge into cold water. When cold, drain again and store in the refrigerator, until ready to use. Cooked crayfish deteriorates if frozen for too long - freeze them raw.

RECIPES

TROPICAL GLAZED HAM

I used Anathoth Farm's Tropical Jam for the glaze. It contains passionfruit seeds that add character to topping.

8kg semi-boned Freedom Farms Champagne ham
1 cup tropical jam
10-20 whole cloves
1 tbsp each: lightly toasted sesame seeds, fennel seeds

Preheat oven to 180C. Cut skin around shank end, about 8cm down from top. Starting from thicker end of ham, carefully run clean fingers under the skin and gently remove. Leave shank end intact. You should finish with a smooth layer of fat.

Line a baking pan with foil. Place ham on top. Using the tip of a small sharp knife, score fat diagonally across face of ham, about every 2cm. Turn ham and repeat scoring at right angles. This will produce a diamond effect. Sometimes the fat will split during cooking but in the end it will look rustic.

Brush a good coating of jam over ham. Bake on a high rack for about 45 minutes, turning and brushing with more jam every 15 minutes. If you want the top to look more rustic, turn on grill for a few minutes to sizzle fat. Remove from oven. Stud top with a few cloves and sprinkle with seeds.

The shank end may be tied with flax and garnished with holly. An 8kg ham will provide 40 people with a buffet meal or dinner for 20.

ROAST TURKEY WITH STUFFING MUFFINS

4.5kg free-range turkey
2 tbsp flaky sea salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 each: medium onion, lemon, quartered
3 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic
75g butter, softened
3 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
1 tbsp sherry

Rub turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 6-8 hours.
Preheat oven to 200C. Place a rack in a roasting pan. Add 3 cups water. Stuff turkey with onion, lemon, bay leaves and garlic. Place some in neck cavity as well.

Tuck wing tips underneath. Tie legs together with string.

Place turkey on rack. Rub with half the butter.

To make glaze, combine remaining butter, soy sauce and sherry in a saucepan. Heat until butter has melted. Brush turkey lightly with glaze.

Reduce oven temperature to 160C. Roast turkey for about 30 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Baste again lightly with glaze.

Continue roasting and basting every 30 minutes. Tent with foil if it starts to colour too much. Roast until juices run clear when a knife is inserted in thigh joint, about 2 & 1/2 hours.

Cover with foil and a heavy towel. Rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. This will ensure juices are distributed evenly throughout meat. - Serves about 10.

STUFFING MUFFINS

Prepare ahead and cook while the turkey is standing.
3 tbsp each: olive oil, softened butter
1 large onion, diced
2 tbsp each: mixed dried herbs, chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 apples, cored and diced
1 cup craisins
400g loaf day-old sliced wholemeal bread
2 eggs
1/2 to 1 cup good chicken stock

Preheat oven to 200 C. Butter a 12-hole muffin pan.
Heat oil and butter, until sizzling. Add onion and saute until softened. Add seasonings, apple and craisins and cook gently until the apple is just tender.

Remove crusts from bread. Cut into 1cm cubes. Add to apple mixture.
Combine eggs and a half cup of stock. Add to mixture, adding more stock if too dry. Form into balls to fit muffin holes. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden. - Makes 12.

ROAST VENISON WITH SPICY PLUM SAUCE

I bought this venison online at woodburnvenison.co.nz

Spicy Plum Sauce:
8 Black Doris plums or similar, stoned and chopped
1 cup red wine
2 star anise
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tbsp honey
Venison: 2 x 320g farmed boneless venison tenderloins
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup each: thyme leaves, red wine, extra virgin olive oil
Pinch ground all spice
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Extra olive oil

To prepare sauce, cook plums in wine, spices and honey until very soft. Remove star anise. Puree, then sieve.

To roast the venison, first place in a large plastic bag. Add other ingredients except extra olive oil. Move meat around so it is well covered. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Return meat to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Discard marinade and pat meat dry. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Heat about 2 tablespoons of extra olive oil in a non-stick frying pan suitable for hob and oven. Brown meat on all sides. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Remove, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes.

Great served with crispy roast potatoes, steamed greens and the plum sauce. - Serves 6.

CRAYFISH WITH HORSERADISH SAUCE

Sauce: 1 & 1/2 cups milk
3 tbsp each: butter, flour
2 tbsp horseradish cream
3 tbsp white wine
Pinch each: salt, cayenne pepper
1 egg yolk
Crayfish: 2 cooked crayfish, about 450g each
Topping: 1/4 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp melted butter

To make the sauce, heat milk to just below boiling point. Melt butter in a saucepan on low and stir in the flour. Stir in horseradish cream.

Remove pan from heat and gradually whisk in warm milk. Return pan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring continuously, until thickened. Stir in wine, salt, cayenne and egg yolk. Heat through but do not boil.

To prepare crayfish, use a sharp, heavy knife and halve crayfish down the centre back. Ensure feelers are not damaged.

Remove meat and pull out vein. Discard mustard-coloured substance from body, wash shells and place on a baking tray. Break up meat and add to the sauce and warm through gently.

Place back into shells and sprinkle with combined topping ingredients. Cover feelers and tails with foil so they do not burn under grill.

Preheat grill. Cook crayfish for about 7 minutes, until crumbs are golden.
Great served with lime or lemon wedges.
-Serves 4 as a light meal/ starter or serves 2 as a main.