Nine recipes to use up Christmas ham

Did you splash out on a ham? Here's how to make the most of every last morsel

Honey-glazed ham

$3 a serve

SERVES 10 PREP 20 MINUTES COOK 1 HOUR + 10 MINUTES TO STAND

+ After removing rind, wrap in a damp tea-towel and place in the fridge; use to cover leftover ham when storing. + Traditional touch Insert a whole clove into the centre of each diamond.

3.5kg picnic shoulder ham

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 190oC/170oC fan forced. Using a small sharp knife, cut through rind around shank of ham in a zigzag pattern. Gently ease fingers between rind and ham to separate, then remove rind (reserve rind for storing ham). Score a shallow diamond pattern in fat without cutting through to meat. Place ham on a wire rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup water into base of pan.

2. Combine honey, sugar and juice in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High (100%) for 30 seconds until sugar dissolves.

3. Brush a quarter of the glaze thickly over ham. Bake for 1 hour, brushing with remaining glaze every 15 minutes, or until ham is hot, sticky and caramelised. Stand for 10 minutes before serving.

1. Italian Pasta Salad

$2 a serve

Cook 350g spiral pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Drain well. Combine pasta with 150g sliced ham, 1/2 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup char-grilled capsicum strips, 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives (halved lengthwise) and 1/4 cup chopped basil. Whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard in a jug. Season. Add dressing to salad; toss to combine. Serve topped with small basil leaves. Serves 4

2. Sweet & Sour Ham Stir-fry

$2.20 a serve

Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; swirl to coat surface. Add 350g coarsely chopped ham; stir-fry until seared. Remove ham from wok. Add 1 small sliced red onion, 1 sliced red capsicum and 1 sliced green capsicum to wok; stir-fry for 3 minutes or until just tender. Return ham to wok with undrained 225g can pineapple pieces in juice, 2 tablespoons ketjap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce), 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 tablespoon cornflour dissolved in 1 tablespoon water; stir-fry until sauce boils and thickens. Serve with steamed rice. Serves 4

3. Fried Rice

$1.95 a serve

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan; swirl to coat surface. Add 2 lightly whisked eggs to wok; swirl to coat surface. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn over. Cook for 30 seconds or until set. Transfer to a chopping board. Roll omelette, then cut into strips. Add 170g chopped ham to wok; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 chopped green onions and 1 cup frozen pea, corn and carrot mix; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 450g packet microwave long-grain white rice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and omelet strips. Stir-fry until heated. Serves 4

4. French Omelet

$2.90 a serve

Heat 10g butter in a small non-stick frying pan. Add 3 sliced button mushrooms; cook, stirring, until tender. Remove from pan. Whisk 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon milk to combine. Season. Melt 10g butter in same pan over moderate heat; swirl pan to cover surface. Pour egg mixture into hot pan. Use a wooden spoon to pull edges of egg towards centre so uncooked egg runs to sides and cooks. Top half the omelet with mushroom, 50g sliced ham, 1/4 cup grated tasty cheese and 1 tablespoon chopped chives. Carefully fold in half to cover filling. Cook for 1 minute or until cheese melts. Invert omelet onto serving plate. Serves 1

5. Ham Soup

$1 a serve

Combine 1 ham bone, 2 litres (8 cups) water, 2 sliced celery sticks, 400g can diced tomato, 400g can rinsed and drained red kidney beans, 1 cup frozen corn and 1 crumbled chicken stock cube in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to moderate and simmer for 45 minutes. Add 100g vermicelli pasta; simmer for 10 minutes. Carefully remove ham bone from pan. Cut ham from bone. Chop ham then return to soup. Season. Add 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley to soup. Serves 6

$3.45 a serve

Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook 60g sliced ham until browned and crisp. Toast 3 slices bread. Spread one side of each slice with 2 teaspoons mayonnaise. Place a lettuce leaf, sliced tomato and ham on one of the slices. Top with another slice of toast then top with 2 teaspoons cranberry sauce, 50g cooked turkey, and a lettuce leaf. Top with remaining slice of toast, mayonnaise-side down. Cut in half. Serves 1

7. Ham & Corn Muffins

75c each

Preheat oven to 200oC/180oC fan forced. Line a 12-hole (1/3-cup) muffin tray with paper muffin wraps. Sift 11/4 cups self-raising flour into a bowl. Add 150g finely chopped ham, 125g can drained corn kernels and 3/4 cup grated tasty cheese to flour; mix well. Whisk 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 2 eggs in a jug. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir until just combined (do not overmix). Spoon into prepared holes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated tasty cheese and a little extra chopped ham. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 12

8. Ham & Parsley Mini Frittatas

Budget winner 30c each

Preheat oven to 180oC/160oC fan forced. Grease 2 x 12-hole mini non-stick muffin trays. Divide 100g finely chopped ham and 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan between prepared holes. Combine 4 eggs, 2/3 cup milk and 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley in a jug. Season. Pour mixture evenly over filling. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 24

9. Baked Eggs & Ham

$3.50 a serve

Preheated oven to 180oC/160oC fan forced. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add 3 chopped tomatoes and 1 crushed clove garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Add 1 tablespoon chopped basil. Season. Divide mixture between 4 x 11/2-cup shallow ovenproof dishes. Top with 100g chopped ham. Take 4 eggs and crack one into each dish. Bake for 10 minutes or until egg is cooked to your liking. Sprinkle with extra basil and pepper. Serves 4

TIPS + TRICKS

Make it last To keep your ham fresh for as long as possible, store it in the fridge. Fold back the rind, slice what you need, then rearrange rind to cover.

Use a bag Rinse ham bag in water and a little vinegar, then wring out tightly. Place whole ham in bag. Rinse bag again every day. It will keep for two weeks. You can cover ham with a tea-towel instead, rinsing as for ham bag.

Freeze it Slice ham, then freeze in an airtight container for later use. Thaw slices in the fridge when ready to use. Ham will taste saltier after freezing.

No waste Once you've eaten almost all the ham, use the bone to make our Great Ham Soup. Freeze soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Recipes: Louise Patniotis | Photography: David Hahn | Styling: Julz Beresford | Food Preparation: Wendy Quizumbing

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