Glazed ham with sticky orange, lychee and brown sugar crust

1.Cut a decorative scallop pattern around the shank end of the ham skin. Working from there, carefully strip the skin off the ham, trying not to disturb the layer of creamy fat beneath it. Score the surface of the fat into small diamond shapes but do not cut into the meat.

2.Line a large roasting tin with a double thickness of aluminium foil, raising the foil above the edges of the tin. This will catch drips of glaze falling off the ham and prevent flare-ups in the oven. Place the ham in the tin, making sure the foil stays upright. When the ham is cooked the foil can be removed and discarded.

3.In a bowl, combine all other ingredients except the orange pieces and star anise. Pour the glaze over the ham and put the ham in an oven preheated to 225°C.

4.Every 15 minutes, scoop up the glaze and baste the ham with it. Mix the pieces of orange and star anise in the bowl used for the glaze, coating them with any remaining glaze. Spoon them over the top of the ham about halfway through cooking.

5.If glazing for appearance only, cook ham for about 45 minutes. As parts of the fat take on enough colour, place small pieces of foil on top to deflect the heat. If you want to serve the ham hot, allow an hour longer (1½–1¾ hours in total) to heat through, but lower the temperature to 180°C after 1 hour. You may need to protect the entire surface of the ham with foil after 50–60 minutes. The ham will also cook superbly in a covered barbecue kettle, though be careful to keep the temperature low.