Method – The Jam Jar salad

Method

smoked gammon joint

Using a drop of rapeseed oil, seal your joint on all sides and slow cook in vegetable stock for 2.5/3 hours on low. I use the Knorr Stock Pots.

Once your gammon is cooked remove from the stock and take off any excess fat and rind and allow to cool. Shred the gammon – your aim is to create bite size pieces - approximately 2cms in length. You don't have to be meticulously precise - it should be easy to pick up with a small fork or spoon. Box and fridge until required. The gammon can be slow cooked ahead.

potatoes

Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until a paring knife passes through easily. Cool the potatoes. If they have skins you may prefer to remove them. Halve the potatoes or quarter depending on the size of the potatoes. As mentioned above the aim is easy to eat with a small fork. I used 5 potatoes per person and chose the smallest and most uniform. The potatoes can be cooked and prepped ahead.

Sweetcorn salsa

340g tin of sweetcorn – drained and rinsed

half a small red onion, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

juice of 1-2 limes

salt and black pepper

Tip the corn into a large mixing bowl and break up with a masher or a pestle. Add the remaining ingredients. Box and fridge until required. I used 2 heaped dessert spoons of salsa per jar. If you don't want to use fresh limes, 2 tbsps of juice is equal to one fresh lime.

Here's what it should look like :

silverskin onions

The onions are small to begin with but should still be finely chopped. I used 5 per jam jar – it's personal preference.

piccalilli sauce for drizzling

For those who would like to make their own sauce, there are recipes out there – for those who'd like a short cut – try this on for size. Bartons Smooth & Tangy Piccalilli Sauce.

All the elements for the salad can be prepped when it suits and non are time consuming.

Assembly next!

Lip-smacking Leftovers

I cooked all the potatoes at the same time which meant I had leftovers – I made the fastest potato salad ever. A touch of seasoning, a heaped teaspoon of curry powder – strength to suit your taste. A blob of mayo and a blob of sour cream, mix well.

You'll find that you have salsa leftovers too – as an alternative why not combine the potatoes and the salsa. Add extra seasoning of your choice – salt and black pepper – a touch of sumac to add a lemony hit with the lime in the salsa.

You'll find that you have leftover gammon – slice and serve as part of your alfresco “table”. If not required then I'd freeze it (in a lump if possible – it doesn't dry out) and use later as part of a pie filling. It may not qualify as lip-smacking – I just hate waste!