Quince Glazed Ham

To make quince glaze, place all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gently boil, stirring occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened. Remove. Discard star anise.

Make a wavy, decorative cut through ham rind, about10cm from shank end of leg. Make this cut all the way around. To remove rind, run thumb around edge of rind, just under skin. Start pulling rind from the opposite end to the shank. Continue to peel away up to the decorative cut. Remove rind.

Using a small, very sharp knife, carefully make shallow cuts into the ham fat, about 2cm apart, in a wave or diamond pattern. Don’t cut all the way through the fat when scoring or it will spread when exposed to the heat.

Wrap shank end in foil to prevent over-browning. Place in a large roasting pan. Brush glaze evenly over ham fat.

Cook in a moderate oven (180C), brushing with glaze halfway through, for 40 minutes. Discard foil. Brush with glaze again. Cook for a further 20 minutes, or until ham is browned. Remove from oven. Set aside on a tray to cool slightly.

Serve warm ham garnished with olive leaves (optional).

Tip

Ham can be prepared up to two days ahead. Cover ham with rind to protect it in the fridge before glazing.