I would spend my last meal with my partner Megz, and our daughters Khyra Leah, Quiana and Taquira at my mother-in-law’s place in Crickhowell near Abergavenny in south Wales. We go there at every free moment.
It is so completely zen. The scenery is beautiful, the air clean … It’s the one place I feel I can really breathe and take stock.
The house is a converted stable block, with a walled garden and a large vegetable patch; we’d eat outdoors, at a big wooden table. I’d want enough space for big sharing platters for food.
I like to think I’m not fussy, but if I’m honest, I spent days poring over crockery for the new dishes at The Ivy. I’d like a similarly contemporary feel for this meal – something by Droog perhaps.
Around the table, we’d have tall candelabra and huge, colourful and comfortable beanbags on the floor for us to collapse into and watch the stars after dinner.
Music-wise, I’d have to have some soft, melodic, rolling bass music like Erykah Badu or Jill Scott.
It would be around the time of my birthday at the beginning of August, so I’m imagining a balmy evening with the sun starting to go down.
We’d start with Grandpa Terry’s glazed ham, my absolute favourite thing, which I have in my fridge at all times.
We’d also have Megz’s spicy chicken with rice and peas, curried goat, a huge bowl of coleslaw, fried plantain and a giant avocado salad. And then of course a huge bowl of summer fruit.
I’m not too bothered about alcohol, but some white wine available for those who want it would be good. Crisp and dry.
Otherwise, big jugs of fruit juice – especially freshly-squeezed pomegranate. And I’m a water fiend, so I’d want Welsh spring water too.
It would be a big family affair – Megz’s parents and their partners, uncles and aunts, and of course, the neighbours. And my two beautiful Staffordshire bull terriers – Bailey and Kenya.
We’d have been on a long walk with the dogs. Then just hanging out – chatting – chilling. I think a drink in the local pub before dinner would be nice.
Grandpa Terry’s glazed ham
Serves 6
1.6kg piece of gammon on the bone (this shouldn’t be a full round, nor should it be smoked) soaked overnight in a large pan filled with cold water
2 onions, peeled and halved
1 apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 stick celery, roughly chopped
4 tsp demerera sugar
200ml sweet cider
2 tbsp runny honey
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 Discard the soaking water and put the gammon on the trivet in a pressure cooker. Cover in cold water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat, discard the water and fill again to halfway up the joint. Add the onions, apple, celery, brown sugar and cider, bring up to pressure and cook for 40 minutes.
2 Remove from the heat and take out of the cooking juices. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, put the ham and everything else except the honey and mustard into a large saucepan, top up with water, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 3 hours. Remove from the pan and drain before the next step.
3 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Score the rind with criss-crosses. Mix together the honey and dijon and coat the rind, letting it work into the cuts.
4 Cover the coated gammon loosely in foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for 20 more minutes. Allow to rest before serving.
• Gary Lee is executive chef at The Ivy.
