At Akasha in L.A., chef Akasha Richmond prepares a sweet-and-spicy glaze for ham using housemade pomegranate-jalapeño jelly. An easier alternative: doctoring store-bought jalapeño jelly with pomegranate juice.
One 7-pound, bone-in, spiral-cut smoked ham
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
20 whole cloves
One 10-ounce jar jalapeño jelly (1 cup)
1 cup sweetened pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Preheat the oven to 325°. Place the ham in a large roasting pan and add the chicken stock. Stud the ham all over with the cloves.
In a medium saucepan, bring the jalapeño jelly, pomegranate juice and lemon juice to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, cinnamon and ginger and simmer until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, about 5 minutes.
Drizzle half of the glaze over the ham and cover with foil. Roast for 1 1/2 hours, basting frequently, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the ham registers 125°. Remove the foil and brush the ham with any remaining glaze. Roast for 30 minutes longer, until the top is lightly caramelized. Transfer to a platter. Discard the cloves. Pour the pan juices into a bowl and serve with the ham.
