Our play on the famous Doctor Seuss’s Green eggs and ham. We’re not sure it’s exactly how Sam-I-Am would do it, but we can tell you it’s very, very good. We use a proper gammon joint in this recipe, which is entirely worthwhile and still low maintenance, but does mean the timing is a little longer than pre-slice deli ham.
Preparation time 30 | Cook time 60 minutes | Serves 4
Ingredients
For the ‘green eggs’
4 fresh Stonegate Estate Organic eggs
A handful of finely chopped herbs: parsley, chives, fennel tops or dill, tarragon, sage
1 large knob of organic butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
For preparing the ham
1kg gammon joint smoked or unsmoked
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 celery sticks, washed and left whole
2 carrots
A handful of parsley stalks (if available)
2 bay leaves
For the glaze
2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons of English or Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of the ham stock
Lower the gammon into a pan large enough to hold it. Add the stock vegetables and herbs, then cover with fresh water. Place on a medium heat and bring to the boil. Cook at a nice low simmer, allowing 25 minutes per 500g. Once it is cooked, carefully remove the ham from the stock and allow it to cool slightly. Reserve the stock for soups, stews and risottos.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Combine the sugar with enough mustard and 1 tablespoon of stock, to give a thickish, spreadable paste and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160°C fan.
Use a knife to help you lift the skin from the ham: it should peel off quite easily. You can trim it back if you need to but leave a 1-2cm layer of fat all over the ham. Place the ham in the roasting tray, then smother the ham with the mustard glaze, then place in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes per kg. Allow to rest in a warm place for about 10-15 minutes before cooking your eggs.
Heat a medium non-stick pan over a high heat. Add the butter and oil, and when it’s bubbling away scatter in half the herbs and stir them into the butter. Now carefully crack in the eggs, one at a time. Season them lightly with sea salt and black pepper then scatter over the remaining herbs. Cook the eggs for a minute or so then pop a lid on the pan for 35-45 seconds just to cook the tops lightly. Serve the eggs with nice thick slices of warm ham and maybe some bread and butter on the side.
