I like to boil a ham in water flavoured with a couple of bay leaves and some black peppercorns, then, when it is cooked,
I remove it from the pan, take off the skin with a sharp knife, score the fat then spread that with a mixture of mustard and honey.
I then bake it in a 180°C oven for about 30 minutes, to brown and crisp up the fat.
While the ham is boiling, I made a potato, leek and cauliflower gratin, as follows.
Scrape new potatoes and cut into chunks if large and boil for about 15 minutes, until just cooked. Drain and tip into a casserole dish.
Similarly, cut cauliflower into small florets and boil for about 5 minutes, then add to the potatoes. Slice a leek into thin disks
(about 1 cm thick) and soak in cold water for 15 minutes – to remove any soil trapped between the layers. Melt a good knob of butter
in a saucepan and add the drained leeks, and fry for about 5 minutes, until they start to soften. Transfer to the casserole dish
with the potatoes and cauliflower. Make a cheese sauce by melting a good knob of butter and adding a couple of Tbs flour.
Cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in whole milk, heating gently and stirring until you have a nice thick smooth sauce.
Season well with freshly ground black pepper and stir in a couple of handfuls of sharp cheddar cheese until melted and smooth.
Pour over the vegetables, sprinkle over a little more grated cheese and bake in the oven alongside the ham for 30 minutes,
until browned and bubbling. Serve with slices of the baked ham.