Jamaican Glazed Ham

Just in time or the holidays. Many people think for some reason Jamaicans don't eat ham. Where they got that notion I don't know. Here is a popular recipe for the season. You will find it is very similar to the way it is prepared in Jamaica. You can garnish the ham with the slices of orange and banana

NGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. (5 kgs) ham
• 1 bottle marmalade
• 2 tsps. grated orange rind
• 2 cups fresh orange segments
• 5 medium ripe bananas
• 2 Tbsps. fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 15 whole cloves
• 2 Tbsps. vinegar

METHOD / DIRECTIONS:

1. Bake ham in preheated oven at 180°C / 350°F, (15 minutes for each pound).
2. In a saucepan over low heat, heat marmalade until it is of a syrupy consistency.
3. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, remove marmalade from heat and blend in orange segments, banana slices and lime juice.
4. Spoon mixture over ham 15 minutes before it is finished baking.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar and vinegar, brush this over ham. Bake ham for a further 15-20 minutes.

Jamaican Ham and Okra

INGREDIENTS

4 slices bacon, diced
2 medium Jamaican onions, chopped
1 Jamaican green pepper, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced Jamaican okra
1 clove Jamaican garlic, chopped
8 ounces chopped Jamaican ham
4 diced Jamaican tomatoes
1 tsp. dried Jamaican thyme
¼ tsp. Jamaican pepper
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water

PREPARATION

1. Fry bacon in a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan until just crisp.
2. Stir in Jamaican onion, pepper and Jamaican okra; sauté until Jamaican onion is wilted.
3. Add Jamaican garlic and ham; continue cooking for 5 minutes longer. Add Jamaican tomatoes, Jamaican thyme, pepper, rice and water.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until rice is tender.