CHERRY GLAZED HAM

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup coriander seeds
1 fresh pork leg (18 to 20 lbs),
skinned and trimmed of top layer of fat

3 to 4 cups apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
6 green cardamom pods
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
2 cups dried red cherries or dried cranberries
1/4 cup loosely packed thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a skillet toast coriander seeds over medium high heat about 1 1/2 minutes or until fragrant, shaking pan often. Transfer to a dish to cool. Place seeds in coffee or spice grinder. Grind until seeds resemble coarse meal.

2. Rub pork with salt, freshly ground black pepper and ground coriander seeds. Place on rack in large roasting pan. Add 3 cups of the apple juice, the cinnamon and cardamom to pan.
Roast 5 1/4 to 6 hours or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 F. Remove from oven. Transfer pork to a large platter; keep warm. Pour pan juices through a mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup. Return pork to pan along with onions. Increase oven to 400 F.

3. Meanwhile, for Cherry Glaze skim fat from strained pan juices (if necessary, add additional apple juice to make 2 1/2 cups).
Transfer to a large saucepan. Add dried cherries.
Place over medium high heat. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until cherries rehydrate and liquid is consistency of syrup.

4. Brush pork with 1/4 cup of the Cherry Glaze. Return to oven. Roast 30 to 60 minutes or until pork reaches internal temperature of 150 F. and onions begin to brown (cover loosely with foil if pork becomes too brown).
Remove from oven, cover with foil.
Let stand 15 minutes.

To serve: Place pork on a warm platter. Arrange roasted onions around pork. Stir half of the fresh thyme and parsley into the Cherry Glaze. Carefully spoon some of the glaze over pork and top with remaining herbs. Serve with Cherry Glaze.

Yield: 8 servings (6 oz meat with 1/3 cup sauce) plus leftovers.

NOTE
To check temperature: Insert meat thermometer into thickest
park of ham close to bone but not touching bone.
For accuracy, check multiple places.

Nutrition Information

*Calories559
*Total Fat (g)17
*Saturated Fat (g)6
*Monounsaturated Fat (g)8
*Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1
*Cholesterol (mg)146
*Sodium (mg)265
*Carbohydrate (g)42
*Total Sugar (g)32
*Fiber (g)5
*Protein (g)51
*Vitamin C (DV%)18
*Calcium (DV%)12
*Iron (DV%)20
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet