Guest post: Anamaris from Chef It Yourself

Hi guys!  I’ve been lucky enough to have some of my favorite food bloogers (and non food bloggers) contribute to this here little blog.  Today’s guest post is courtesy of Anamaris, one of the most delightful food bloggers I know.   If you want a little spice in your food, click here.  Anamaris knows how to do food right.

 

Hello YAWYEOR friends!

When Little Ms. Katie asked me if I would come hang out with her and her friends, I couldn’t say no. Katie was the first bloggy friend I made, I read one of her posts when we were both participating in NaBloPomajig and I never left. I even became her official e-stalker, a relationship made in blogging heaven.

 

She asked for a dish I grew up eating or something that spoke to my Panamanian heritage. After weeks of deliberation, I settled on this glazed ham done the way my dad did it when I was growing up. Funny thing, when I told him I had posted and given him credit for the recipe, he told me he didn’t remember how he made this anymore. He was glad I paid attention and you will too.

 

I have to be honest, there isn’t anything inherently Latin about this one, unless you apply some sort of 6-degrees of Kevin Bacon theory: Pineapples are tropical fruits, Panama is definitely a country in the tropics, my dad is 100% Panamanian and I was in Panama the first time I ate this. Does that work? Anyway, with all the holiday eating that’s going on now, this is a good way to dress up your ham. The best part? Very little fuss. I hope you like it. Katiegirl, thanks for the invite, I’ll hang out with you anytime.

 

Cookingly yours,
Anamaris
http://chefyourself.wordpress.com/

 

 

Dad’s Baked Ham

1 6-8 lb cured, bone-in ham (not sliced)
4 garlic cloves, whole
1/4 cp ginger, sliced
Cloves

It is a good idea to cook the ham for a bit to get some of the excess salt/brine out. Add the whole, unpeeled garlic and ginger to a stockpot, place the ham in it and top it with water. Just before it begins to boil, lower the temperature, there’s no need to make it boil, you want to keep it at a very slow simmer. Allow it to cook for about 45 minutes. If it’s not completely submerged, simmer it for 20 minutes on one side, then flip and simmer it for another 20 minutes. Remove it from the water and allow it to drain and cool.For the glaze, mix together:
1/2 cp brown sugar
1 14 oz can pineapple, crushed
1-1/2 tsp crushed chili pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1-1/2 tsp Herbs d’Provence

Preheat oven to 325°. Make a foil tent by folding 2 pieces of foil together, make sure they’re large enough to wrap the whole ham. Once the ham is cool enough to handle, score ham into diamonds and stud with the cloves.

Place the foil tent over a baking sheet and put the ham, fat side up, on the foil. Spread 1/2 of the glaze mixture all over the ham, taking care to make sure in seeps into the scores. Don’t worry if there’s liquid pooling at the bottom. Actually, that’s perfect as it will perfume the ham as it builds steam.

Tightly fold the foil around the ham, try not to squish it onto the ham or all the pineapple goodness will end up stuck to it. In the oven it goes, allow it to bake for 40 minutes. No need to check on it.

After the initial baking, remove the ham from the oven and raise the temperature to 400°. Spread the rest of the glaze over the top and sides of the ham, and place it back in the oven, only this time leave the foil open. Bake it for another 15 minutes or until it is nicely browned.

Remove from the oven and transfer the ham to a cutting board or serving platter to slice. I like to save the juices and fruit at the bottom to put over the ham when I plate it.

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thanks again to anamaris!

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