First of all, a big thank you to all the people who got in touch with nice things to say about my Christmas Special on RTÉ. It was great fun to make and thank you to my producer, David Hare, who heads up the team. This home-baked ham with cider takes 12 hours to cook and it is just fantastic. This is a recipe I can see I will use again and again. Any leftovers from this ham or your turkey can be used in countless other dishes, such as my filo-crusted ham or cheddar and leek pie – even the bone will make a wonderful stock.

These root vegetables are all full of flavour. They are quick to cook and healthy to eat, and make a great side dish. The best part is that they can be prepared well in advance, leaving little to do at last minute. The oven temperature is quite flexible, so simply put them on the bottom shelf of your oven, depending on what you are cooking, and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

This onion relish is great with left-over ham, or indeed with any cold meat. Or with a cheese board. It also makes a great gift if you are visiting over the holidays.

We have a nice apple and cranberry chutney, and a ham glaze, in our hampers at MacNean. You can see them on the website and I am thrilled that they are going like hot cakes.

The Nation’s Favourite Healthy Food, by Neven Maguire is published by Gill & MacMillan.

>> Recipes

Christmas Ham with Sticky Apricot & Ginger Glaze

Serves 10-12

5.25kg (11oz) leg of gammon (on the bone)

4 celery sticks, roughly chopped

2 onions, sliced

5cm (2in) piece fresh ginger, cut into slices

1 small bunch fresh thyme

1 tbsp black peppercorns

4 whole cloves

2 star anise

1.5 litres (2 ¾ pints) cider

1 tsp ground ginger

For the glaze:

100g (4oz) light muscovado sugar

175g (6oz) apricot jam or conserve (good quality)

juice of 1 lemon

4 star anise

4 pieces preserved stem ginger, cut into small matchstick sized strips

1 Although gammon is less salty nowadays, soaking is still a good idea. Place the gammon in a large pan and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for at least six hours, or overnight is best, then drain.

2 Preheat the oven to 120oC (225oF), Gas Mark ½. Use a large, deep roasting tin with a rack that’s big enough to hold the ham. Put the celery, onions, ginger, thyme, peppercorns, cloves and star anise in the tin and pour over the cider, then put the rack on top. Sit the ham on the rack and cover with a large tent of foil, sealing it well. Put on the hob over a high heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, then transfer to the oven. Cook for 12 hours or overnight – you can now leave it for one to two days before finishing the recipe. Alternatively, leave to rest and cool down for at least 30 minutes.

3 Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF), Gas mark 4. Now make the glaze. Put the sugar in a small pan with the apricot jam or conserve, lemon juice and star anise. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then add the stem ginger and star anise and simmer for three to four minutes, or until reduced to a thick glaze, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t catch at the bottom.

4 Carefully peel away the skin, leaving the layer of white fat intact. Using a sharp knife, score the fat diagonally to make a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.

5 Rub the ground ginger all over the ham, then brush over all but a couple of spoonfuls of the glaze, distributing the stem ginger strips and star anise. Roast for 45 minutes to one hour, until golden and sticky. Remove the cooked ham from the oven, transfer to a serving platter and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes.

6 To serve, carve slices from one side of the ham, cutting diagonally to achieve an even thickness. When you reach the bone, insert the knife at a flatter angle and slice across the top of the bone. Turn over the leg to carve slices from the other sides.

All-In-One Baked Vegetables

Serves 10-12

675g (1½lb) carrots

675g (1½lb) parsnips

4 celery sticks

1 small onion, very finely chopped

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

50g (2oz) butter

Maldon sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF), Gas mark 4. Peel the carrots and parsnips, then cut into even-sized batons. Cut the celery into similar-sized batons.

2 Take a large double sheet of tin foil or parchment paper and pile the vegetable batons in the middle.

3 Scatter the onion and thyme over the vegetables and dot with the butter, then drizzle over about four tablespoons of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then fold in the sides of the parcel to enclose the carrots by bringing up the sides, then folding over and twisting the edges.

4 Place the foil or parchment bag on a baking sheet and roast for one hour, until the vegetables are meltingly tender and slightly caramelised. To serve, either open the baked vegetable parcel at the table or carefully pour the vegetables and all of their juices into a nice big warmed dish.

Caramelised Onion Relish

Makes about 450g (1lb)

2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil

5 onions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

200ml (7fl oz) red wine

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp light muscovado sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onions on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned.

2 Stir in the garlic and sugar and then pour in the red wine and balsamic vinegar. Cook gently for about 35-40 minutes, until thickened and sticky, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3 Store the onion relish in an airtight container or sterilised jar in the fridge and use as required.