main courses | serves 10–12

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 2½. Place the gammon in a roasting tray and add the peppercorns, onion and bouquet garni. Fill with water to come halfway up the side of the pan. Cover the gammon with plenty of foil to allow steam to circulate inside. Bake for 1½ hours or till pink and cooked through, then remove from the oven and cool for 20–30 minutes, leaving it covered.
2. Once your gammon is cool enough to handle, you need to remove the skin, retaining some fat underneath. With a sharp knife, score the gammon lightly by making diagonal cuts across it.
3. Put the meat back in the oven and turn it up to 200C/gas 6 for around 30 minutes to crisp the fat. Remove from the oven, brush with the jam to glaze and sprinkle with the chilli flakes. Continue cooking for 30–40 minutes, glazing every 10 minutes or so till crisp, golden and sticky. When the gammon is cooked to your liking, transfer to a board to rest before carving.
4. To use the lovely juices, add a good splash of vinegar to the roasting tray. Scrape and stir well to deglaze. Have a taste. If it’s too sharp, stir in a little plum jam to taste. Serve the gammon with pan juices, cranberry sauce and a salad of julienned apples, mint and chilli.