Christmas Ham Braised In White Wine With Vegetables

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat butter in large, heavy roasting pan over medium heat. When hot, add carrots and onions and saute, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Place ham, fat-side up, on top of vegetables. Add 3 cups wine, parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme and cloves to pan. Bring to a simmer.

Remove from stovetop. Cover pan; transfer to oven. Bake until quite tender when pierced with knife, about 1 1/2 hours or longer, basting every 20 minutes with pan juices. Remove pan from oven; raise temperature to 450 degrees F.

Combine jelly and mustard in small saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring, until jelly is dissolved. Brush ham with mustard mixture and return to oven; bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

Remove pan from oven. Remove ham from pan; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let cool for 20 minutes while making sauce.

Discard bay leaves and parsley. Puree remaining vegetables and any juices in pan in food processor, blender or food mill. Return to roasting pan; place pan on stovetop over high heat. Add remaining 1 cup wine and stock; cook until mixture is reduced slightly, by a fourth.

Stir together cornstarch and water; stir into roasting pan and cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens lightly.

To serve, cut ham into thin slices and arrange, overlapping, on serving platter. Garnish with watercress, top with a little sauce. Pass remaining sauce separately.