12 Recipes Using Whole Cloves

INGREDIENTS

For the gammon

• 6kg/13lb 3½oz gammon joint
• fresh orange juice, to cover
• water, to cover
• 8 cloves, plus extra for studding the gammon
• 2 onions, peeled, halved
• 4 large bay leaves

For the glaze

• 120g/4oz soft brown sugar
• 3 oranges, zest of three, juice of two
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 3 heaped tbsp orange marmalade
• 3 tbsp wholegrain mustard

To serve

• apple compote
• pickled red cabbage

METHOD

1. For the gammon, place the gammon into a large, deep pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and drain.
2. Return the gammon to the pan, then pour in enough orange juice to cover half of the gammon. Pour in enough cold water to cover the gammon completely.
3. Push two cloves into each onion half and add to the pan along with the bay leaves. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook gently for three hours, adding more hot water to the pan as necessary.
4. Preheat the oven to 180C/360F/Gas 4.
5. Remove the gammon from the pan and place into a roasting tin. Remove the skin, leaving behind a thin layer of fat. Score the gammon in a diamond pattern with the tip of a sharp knife. Stud the centre of each diamond with a clove.
6. For the glaze, mix together all of the glaze ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Spoon the glaze evenly over the gammon.
7. Roast the gammon in the oven for 45 minutes, basting frequently with the glaze and pan juices, until the gammon is cooked through and golden-brown all over.
8. Set aside to rest, then carve into thick slices to serve. Alternatively, the gammon can be eaten cold. Serve with apple compote and pickled red cabbage.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (6 ounce) containers plain yogurt
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground or whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 16 chicken thighs
• Olive oil Spray

METHOD

1. In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, salt, pepper, cloves, and ginger. Mix in garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and coriander. Set aside.
2. Rinse chicken under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, press air out of bag, and seal. Turn the bag over several times to distribute marinade. Place bag in a bowl, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight, turning bag occasionally.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for direct medium heat.
4. Remove chicken from bag, and discard marinade. With paper towels, wipe off excess marinade. Spray chicken pieces with olive oil spray.
5. Place chicken on the grill and cook about 2 minutes. Turn, and cook 2 minutes more. Then arrange the chicken to receive indirect heat, and cook approximately 35 to 40 minutes, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.

INGREDIENTS

For the Rogan josh paste

• 1 bunch fresh coriander, stalks and leaves separated
• 1 red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
• 2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, roughly ground
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp garam masala
• pinch salt
• 2 tbsp tomato purée

For the lamb

• 1 tbsp groundnut oil
• 5cm/2in cinnamon stick
• 5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 4 cloves
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 600g/1lb 5oz lamb neck fillet, all visible fat removed, cut into 3cm/1in chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 100g/3½oz fat-free natural yoghurt

METHOD

1. To make the paste, in a mixer, blend together the coriander stalks, red chilli, ground spices and salt. Mix in the tomato purée.
2. To cook the lamb, heat the oil in a large heavy-based casserole. Fry the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves and cloves for 2 minutes. Add the onion and lamb and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the spice paste and fry for another 2 minutes, stirring
4. Add 400ml/14fl oz water, then cover with a lid and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until cooked. Stir in the yoghurt and cook for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with the fresh coriander leaves.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 50ml/2fl oz vegetable oil
• 1 onion, peeled, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 10 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 2 cloves
• 225g/8oz basmati rice, soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained
• 200g/7oz broad beans, out of their pods, inner membranes removed
• 400ml/14fl oz vegetable stock
• 4 courgettes, cut into 3cm/1in rounds
• olive oil, for brushing
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/2oz butter

To serve

• chopped fresh parsley
• lemon juice
• yoghurt

METHOD

1. Heat a dry frying pan and add the cumin and coriander seeds. Fry over a medium heat, moving the spices around the pan frequently to prevent them from burning, for 2-3 minutes, or until aromatic and lightly browned. Transfer to a mortar and grind with a pestle.
2. In a pan, heat the vegetable oil and fry the onion and garlic over a medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, or until softened. Add the ground toasted spices, the cinnamon stick, ground turmeric, cardamom pods and cloves and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the rice, broad beans and stock, cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat for 12-15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
4. Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan until smoking. Brush the courgettes with the olive oil, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then cook on the griddle for 2-3 minutes on both sides, or until charred and softened. Set aside.
5. To serve, stir the butter into the pilaf until melted, then spoon into serving bowls and top with the griddled courgette pieces. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice and a dollop of yoghurt.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• 6 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 8 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 75g/2½oz butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 300g/10½oz basmati rice, rinsed and drained
• 500ml/18fl oz chicken or vegetable stock, fresh or made from 1 stock cube
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the coriander seeds into a coarse powder. Add the cardamom pods and grind until the husks split and the seeds are lightly crushed. Add the cumin, cloves, cinnamon and bay and pound very lightly for a few seconds, to mix.
2. Melt half the butter in a sauté pan or wide-based saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Sprinkle in the turmeric and mustard seeds, plus all the ingredients from the pestle and mortar. Fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring.
3. Mix in the rice to coat it in the buttery spices. Add the stock and a good pinch of black pepper. Add a pinch of salt if needed (stock from a cube will already contain salt). Stir well and bring to the boil. Give a final stir then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes.
4. When the rice is cooked, cut the rest of the butter into small pieces. Remove the pan lid and dot the butter over the hot rice. Leave to melt for a few seconds, then quickly fluff up the rice using a fork, taking care not to break up the grains.
5. Replace the lid and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving. (Warn your guests not to eat the cardamom, cinnamon or any whole cloves.

INGREDIENTS

For the roast pork belly

• 1.8kg/4lb pork belly
• 4 tbsp sea salt flakes

For the rib gravy

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 large pork ribs
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 litre/1¾ pints chicken stock
• 8 black peppercorns
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

For the apple bread sauce

• 1 litre/1¾ pints milk
• ½ onion, skin left on
• 5 cloves
• 2 eating apples, preferably Cox’s Orange Pippin
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 250g/9oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 75g/2¾oz butter
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 230C/210C fan/Gas 8.
2. For the roast pork belly, put the pork belly in a roasting tray, skin-side up. Thoroughly pat it dry with kitchen paper, then rub sea salt all over the skin. Set aside for 20 minutes.
3. Roast the pork belly for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 160C/140C fan/Gas 3 and continue to cook for a further 1½ hours. When cooked, set the pork aside to rest in a warm place.
4. Meanwhile, for the rib gravy, heat the oil in large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the pork ribs and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning them regularly until they have caramelised all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Add the onions and carrots to the pan, then pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, scraping any burned bits up from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon.
6. Return the browned pork ribs to the pan, then add the peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, then continue to simmer gently for 1½ hours.
7. Meanwhile, for the apple bread sauce, heat the milk in a large saucepan. Stud the onion with 3 of the cloves and add to the hot milk. Stud one of the apples with the remaining 2 cloves and add to the pan along with the cinnamon stick. As the milk starts to bubble, turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes. Once infused, discard the apple, onion, cloves and cinnamon stick.
8. Add the breadcrumbs and butter to the infused milk, stir well and heat gently. Just before serving, grate in the remaining apple and stir in the ground cinnamon.
9. When the cooking time for the pork ribs has elapsed, remove the ribs and slide the meat from the bone. Chop the meat and return it to the gravy mixture.
10. To serve, carve the pork belly and arrange the slices onto a serving platter. Serve the rib gravy in a large jug alongside and the apple bread sauce in a large serving bowl. Allow everyone to help themselves.

INGREDIENTS

For the quinoa salad

• 200g/7oz quinoa, cooked according to the packet instructions
• handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 1 cucumber, finely diced
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dukkah

• ½ tsp cloves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp paprika
• pinch turmeric
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 50g/2oz hazelnuts, chopped
• 30g/1oz pistachios, chopped
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 tbsp honey
• 1 orange, juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 12 lamb cutlets

METHOD

1. For the quinoa salad, mix together the quinoa, herbs and vegetables in a bowl and dress with olive oil and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. For the dukkah, heat a frying pan and dry fry the cloves, fennel, coriander and cumin until fragrant. Place in a pestle and mortar and grind until smooth.
3. Combine the spices with the rest of the dukkah ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.
4. Rub each lamb cutlet with the dukkah and orange juice mixture and grill on a hot griddle, on a barbecue, or under a pre-heated grill, for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking.
5. To serve place some of the quinoa salad onto four plates and place three lamb cutlets on top of each.

INGREDIENTS

For the lamb Madras

• 1 x 2.5kg/5½lb shoulder of lamb
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 green bird’s-eye chilli
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1½cm/¾in root ginger, peeled
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 curry leaves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 400g/14oz chopped tomatoes
• 200ml/7fl oz beef stock
• 2 tsp tamarind paste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Bombay potatoes

• 500g/1lb 2oz potatoes, cut into 2cm/1in cubes
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped

METHOD

1. For the roast shoulder of lamb, preheat the oven to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas 3. Rub the lamb all over with the olive oil, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, to make the curry powder, put the coriander, fenugreek, mustard, cumin, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon and cloves in a spice grinder and grind to a powder. Stir in the turmeric.
3. Put the chilli, garlic and ginger in a small food processor and blend until a paste if formed. If it does not come together add a small amount of water.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a casserole pot with a lid. Add the lamb and fry on all sides, until browned. Remove the lamb from the casserole and set aside. Add the onion to the hot casserole and fry until soft and starting to colour. Add 2½ tbsp of the curry powder, then the garlic, chilli and ginger paste and the curry leaves, cardamom and bay leaves and stir.
5. Add the lamb back into the pot, cover with the tomatoes, stock and tamarind and season with salt and pepper. Place a lid on and bake the lamb for 3-4 hours, basting every hour or so with the juices in the roasting tray, until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone.
6. Remove the lamb and simmer the liquid until it reduces to make a thick sauce. Using a fork, shred the lamb and add it back to the sauce.
7. For the Bombay potatoes, place the potatoes in cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 5-8 minutes and drain.
8. Heat a large pan and add the oil. Once hot, add the mustard seeds. When they start popping, add the chilli powder and turmeric, then the potatoes. Take care of your eyes and face while the mustard seeds are popping. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the potatoes absorb the spices.
9. To serve, place the lamb Madras on a serving plate with the potatoes . Garnish with chopped coriander.