Feeds 2-4, depending on hunger: change the amounts as necessary, of course, this is more suggestion than recipe
This dish has the freshness of summer with a little hint of the coming autumn.
Take about two pounds of gammon and soak it in a pan of water for a few hours to tackle some of the saltiness.
When this is ready, place it a deep saucepan with a mirepoix of one carrot, an onion, and a celery stick or two. If you have some bay leaves to hand add two small leaves to the sauce pan and pour in fresh water, enough to cover the ingredients, and bring this to boil before leaving to simmer for about two hours.
When the gammon has cooked, take it off the heat and let it rest, wrapped in tin foil and cloaked in a tea towel.
Then take some freshly podded peas, about half a pound, and boil them hard for a couple of minutes until bright and crisp, strain them, and then turn them in some melted and bubbling butter for a moment or two before mixing in about a tablespoon each of freshly chopped parsley and mint.
Then cut two thick pieces of the rested gammon and all tuck in with pleasure.
Some ice-cold cider on the side would be ideal, but then so would a cup of hot sage leaf tea, depending on taste and pleasure.
I can see the peas working well with some grilled, thick bacon medallions, too, or perhaps some roasted pork belly for a special occasion, or a treat.
Blane Valley Allotments 