Salt Meat Stew

3 lb Gammon joint or smoked ham
3 pint (7 ½ cups/1.5 L) white wine
30fl oz (4 /840ml) white grape juice
15 fl oz (2 1/3 cup/450 ml) White wine vinegar
6 teaspoons coriander seeds
3 teaspoon aniseed
3 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 teaspoons Thyme
3 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoon (90g) honey
1½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
6 thick slices coarse whole-wheat bread

Cut the meat into small chunks, cover with water in a pan and bring to the boil. Discard the water, pour the wine, grape juice and vinegar over the meat and return to the heat. Combine the whole spice seeds and the thyme, spread on a baking tray and dry-roast them for 5 minutes in the oven. Place the seeds in a mortar. Pound them until they are like breadcrumbs. Add this mixture to the stew and continue to simmer. Cook the stew for a total of 45 minutes. Towards the end add the cumin, honey and pepper. Cut the bread into chunks and place them in the oven for 5 minutes to dry them out a little. Add the bread to the stew: it will eventually soak up and thicken the juices.

Serves 12