If you can’t make it to this year’s Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival at Raglan Road, try your hand at making their chef’s Heavenly Ham dinner. It takes a little time to put together, but the results are worth celebrating.
Heavenly Ham
Irish Mist-glazed loin of bacon with cabbage, colcannon potatoes, parsley cream sauce and raisin cider jus.
Ham
2.5 pound boneless loin of pork, cured
1/4 cup whole cloves
8 ounces honey
4 ounces Irish Mist whiskey
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly score the skin/outer surface of the pork in an “x” pattern (do not score too deep). Stud with the cloves, placing them 3 inches apart.
Combine the whiskey and honey and brush on all sides of ham.
Bake for 90 minutes, basting /brushing with whiskey honey glaze every 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cover loosely and allow to rest before serving.
Colcannon Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
3/4 pound chilled butter, divided
2 cups thinly sliced leeks
1 cup diced green savoy cabbage
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup loin of bacon trims or crispy rashers (streaky bacon), diced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Cover potatoes with water in a heavy-bottom pot; bring to a boil and cook until soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and puree through a food mill or with a hand masher.
In a sauté pan, melt 1/4 pound butter. Add leeks and cabbage and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in potatoes, cream, remaining 1/2 pound of butter, bacon and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Butter Braised Cabbage
1 green savoy cabbage
1 pound butter
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Bring a gallon of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Cut cabbage in quarters, remove the stem and pull leaves apart. Add cabbage to boiling water and cook 1 minute. Remove cabbage and drain.
Melt butter in heavy-bottom pot, add cabbage, cover and simmer 2 minutes. Season and keep warm until ready to serve.
Parsley Cream Sauce
1 stick chilled butter
1 cup small-dice onions
Sprig of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon flour
1 cup white wine
3 cup heavy cream, heater
Salt, black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Melt butter in a saucepan, then sweat onions and thyme. Add flour and stir to make a roux.
Deglaze with white wine, cook a bit, stir in cream and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix to smooth consistency with a hand blender, remove from stovetop and strain. Keep warm until ready to serve; before serving, bring to a simmer and stir in chopped parsley.
Raisin Cider Jus
2 cups Magner’s Irish Cider
2 cups port wine
3 cups veal or beef stock, heated
Salt, pepper to taste
2 cups white raisins
Place cider and port wine in a heavy-bottom pot and reduce by half.
Add in the hot stock, and a dash of salt and pepper stir and bring to a boil. Add raisins and simmer until soft. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve
Slice loin of bacon into 1/4-inch slices and arrange on a plate with cabbage and colcannon potatoes. Lightly dress with parsley cream sauce and raisin cider jus.
