Pease Pudding

Ham and Pease Pudding

Ham And Pease Pudding

Ingredients

Serves 6

For the pease pudding

• 300g/10oz dried yellow split peas
• 50g/2oz butter
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• ½ tsp finely grated nutmeg
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• freshly ground black pepper

For the ham

• 1kg/2¼lb smoked or unsmoked ham joint, tied
• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 4 cloves
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 black peppercorns

For the mustard sauce

• 25g/1oz butter
• 25g/1oz plain flour
• 300ml/10fl oz ham stock (from cooking the ham)
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 5 tbsp single cream

Method

1. Rinse the peas in a sieve under cold running water and drain
2. Put the peas in a bowl and cover with hot water
3. Leave to stand for 20 minutes
4. Heat 25g/1oz of the butter in a heavy-based frying pan and cook the onion, thyme and bay leaf very gently for 15 minutes, or until softened and only just beginning to colour
5. Stir regularly
6. Drain the peas and add to the pan
7. Pour over 1 litre/1¾ pints water and bring to the boil
8. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the peas soften and start falling apart
9. The liquid should be well reduced by this time
10. Meanwhile, put the ham in a large lidded saucepan and cover with cold water
11. Bring to the boil then discard the water (be careful as it will create a lot of steam)
12. Cut the onion in half and stud each piece with cloves
13. Take the peas off the heat, remove the bay leaf and blend with a hand blender until a thick puree
14. Beat in the remaining butter nutmeg and the egg
15. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
16. Spoon the pea mixture into the centre of a piece of muslin
17. Tie the ends tightly with kitchen string just above the peas, allowing a little room for expansion
18. Tuck the pease pudding and onion into the pan beside the ham
19. Add the carrot, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns
20. Fill the pan with enough cold water to cover the ham and return to the hob
21. Bring to a simmer, cover loosely with a lid and cook for 1-1¼ hours
22. Remove the ham and place on a board
23. Cover with foil and a couple of tea towels
24. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before carving
25. Ladle 300ml/10fl oz of the ham stock into a heatproof jug

For the mustard sauce

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat
2. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds before slowly adding the reserved stock, stirring well between each addition
3. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stir in the mustard and then the cream
4. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper
5. Carve the ham into thick slices
6. Unwrap the pease pudding and transfer to a warmed serving bowl
7. Serve a spoonful of pease pudding with a slice of ham and drizzle over the sauce