Wine Pairing: Ch. De Trinquevedel Tavel Rosé 2009, France.
This one is a tough pairing the the potent floral lavender and the spicy sweet persimmon next to the smoky and salty ham. This French rosé is perfect for all. It is bright and bold but with spicy undertones that lend well to the persimmons, and it has a fresh, fruity note that allows the potency of the lavender to subtly shine while pairing well with the saltiness. Retails for around $20.
INGREDIENTS
For the Brine
One whole bone in fresh ham, skinned and trimmed, slashes cut, leaving a thin layer of fat
6 quarts water
1 cup sea salt
1 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup fresh lavender leaves
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 whole nutmeg, cracked and broken
For the Glaze
½ cup bourbon
1 tablespoon fresh lavender leaves, chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped fine
1 teaspoon fresh lavender flowers
1 persimmon, peeled and deseeded, very ripe
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup bourbon
½ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped fine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Spice Rub
2 tablespoons black pepper, cracked medium fine
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon dried sage leaves
PREPARATION
Brining
In a large pot, bring all items for brining to a boil, stirring occasionally until all the sugar and salt is dissolved. Cool mixture, and add ham to pot- mixture should completely cover the ham, if it does not than make more brine! Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, turning the ham a few times. Drain the brine, and let the ham rest on a roasting pan with a rack, allowing the brine residual to drip down into the pan. Pat the ham dry with paper towels.
Glaze
In a blender, blend the persimmon and all the herbs. Pour into a medium mixing bowl, and gently mix in the sugar, bourbon, ginger, and the remaining ingredients. Mix well, and set aside.
Spice Rub
Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
In a medium bowl, mix up all the spice mix ingredients. Rub mixture all over ham. Place ham in the pre-heated oven, and bake according to weight based on the table below. A 15-pound ham with the bone intact should take a total of 3 to 4 hours. Let the ham bake uniterrupted, and then in the last hour begin the glazing process. Glaze every 10 minutes until entire ham is browned. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, turn the oven temperature to 425°F, and let the ham get a bit crispy and caramelized.