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 failing restaurant Calle Ocho, now located at 45 West 81st street, between Columbus avenue and Central Park West. 212.873.5025, but I also had the opportunity to drink some of the best dark rum of my life! I sipped some of the nectar where Hemingway used to hang at Havana Bolero, in Havana Vieja!

And now for my mother in laws famous glazed ham recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 each 7 pound bone in smoked pork butt
• 1 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 would serve with herbed mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus with lemon, sea salt and crushed red pepper flakes!!!

Music to cook by:
Marc Anthony
♫ http://blip.fm/~ob41q