When I had a restaurant in 1995 that was failing miserably (RIP Main Street), I had the opportunity to go to Havana Cuba for a few days on holiday. Not only did I come up with a new idea for the restaurant, Calle Ocho now located at 45 West 81st Street, but I also had the opportunity to drink some of the best dark rum I have ever had. I sipped some of that glorious nectar where Hemingway used to hang at Havana Bolero in Havana Vieja. Turns out my mother-in-law uses rum for her amazing glazed ham.

My mother-in-law, Raquel, is responsible for giving me the love of my life as well as this holiday masterpiece. Here's Raquel's famous glazed ham recipe!

Havana Club 7 Year Añejo Rum Glazed Ham

Ingredients:

• 7 pound bone in smoked pork butt
• ¼ cup cloves
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 cans crushed pineapple
• 3 T Apricot preserves
• 2 Cups Havana Club 7 Year Añejo Rum- if you cannot get the rum- go with a Dominican Dark aged rum!

Method:

• Score the ham fat with a French knife
• Stick in cloves about 1” from each other and then coat the ham fat with brown sugar
• Place in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes
• In a sauce pan, heat the apricot preserve and crushed pineapple and cook for 10 minutes
• Add rum and cook another 2 minutes
• After the ham has cooked 30 minutes, take it out of the oven and pour the pineapple, rum glaze all over the ham and pop it back in the oven for 90 more minutes.
• Slice and serve. I like to serve this delicious ham with herbed mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus with lemon, sea salt and crushed red pepper flakes!!!