Baked Sweet-Glazed Ham and Fruity Cous-Cous

This is a really tasty supper which requires little effort and is quick to prepare, but it looks so jolly with the fruit-studded cous-cous! The following ingredients are really only suggestions, as this dish is open to creative experimenting depending on your family's favourite tastes.

Gammon joint (750g serves approx 3 people)

Mango chutney

Mustard (whole-grain or English)

1 cup cous-cous

Chicken stock (made with stock cube)

2 spring onions

Tin chick peas

2 fresh peaches or a ripe mango

A big handful of fresh parsley or coriander

(Chilli oil)

Salt and pepper

Cook the gammon joint on a baking tray covered in foil according to the packet instructions, but I often find it needs slightly less time than recommended, so keep an eye on it. About 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil and brush with a paste made from the mustard and mango chutney. This should caremelise during cooking to a sweet glaze, but it does catch easily so keep checking it! Remove from oven and set aside for 10 miutes or so.

Meanwhile, put the cous-cous in a bowl with slightly less than twice the amount of chicken stock. I find it helps to measure the cous-cous and stock with a cup so your measurements are equivalent. Put a plate on top of the bowl and leave until all the stock has been absorbed.

Chop the spring onions finely, and whatever fresh herbs you want to use - I suggest parsley and/or coriander - and prepare the fruit. Peaches and mangoes go very well with this dish, but pineapple, apricots or even apples work just as well. Depending on how fussy your children are, you might want to peel the fruit as well as dicing it. Don't be scared to use tinned varieties if you don't have anything suitable in the fruit bowl!

The chick peas are easy to prepare. Empty the contents of the tin into a seive and rinse, and then shake about vigourously and the thin skins will come off and you can pick them out. This is not strictly necessary, but some people don't like the texture. If you haven't got chick peas, I have successfully used cannellini, kidney or aduki beans at various times.

Fluff the cous-cous with a fork to separate grains and add a smidge of butter or olive oil. A drizzle of chilli oil adds a little zing if your children are adventurous... Then add the onion, chick peas and peaches and stir well to mix, adding lots of salt and pepper.

Slice the ham and serve with the cous-cous. Mango chutney makes an excellent accompaniment!

Bon appetit!