Nigella says 'Do NOT throw away the cooking liquid' for ham in coke - what am I meant to do with it?

[CheckeredFlag]

It doesn't specify in the recipe!

[Fayrazzled]

Sha has a soup recipe you use it in. Can't remember which book it's in though.

[geordieminx]

There is a black bean soup recipe. Not very nice though

[TheOldestCat]

Doing Tesco's version of this right now. It says to reduce the liquid by half to make a sauce. Then some can be used to glaze chicken / spare ribs.

[nannyl]

just made this too

decided bean and coke soup didn really appeal to me so chucked the coke onion stuff down the sink

ham was very yummy!

[CheckeredFlag]

It's gone in the compost! Just caught it before it burnt so don't think it will be much use for anything else. The ham was bloody gorgeous though, the tastiest thing ever. All devoured now!

[WishIWasRimaHorton]

is it really that nice, ham in coke? have never been brave enough to try it. sounds v ikky.

[CheckeredFlag]

I can't describe how really, really nice it is, doesn't taste of coke at all but so rich and flavourful, beautiful.

[Ilythia]

Is lovely, FIL was decidely about it and prepared to be disgusted but I just caught him scarfing a big lump off it from the fridge It was supposed to be for breakfast!

[lizandlulu]

i have done my ham tonight and dont it nigellas way which i love, dh not so keen, but my liquid has just gone straight down the sink, bleugh to the blackbean soup!

[SeriousWispaHabit]

I cooked red cabbage in some of it and added balsamic vinegar. Was delish.

[MurkyTurkey]

I did my ham in cranberry and apple juice then cooked red cabbage in the liquor. We had it with buttery mash and it was the nicest meal I have eaten all year.

[KangarooCaught]

Avoid the recipe that tells you what to do with it, it's vile

[KangarooCaught]

The ham was devoured yesterday by guests. Cannily waiting for someone to start carving and he was there for 25 mins

[taffetazatyousantaclaus]

I use ham stock watered down with er, water and make soup with it. Its way too strong to use on its own. Don't know if this would work with the coke recipe, have never done that.I did a ham and lentil soup with normal ham stock a few weeks back which was very nice.

[Blatherskite]

I thought you were supposed to cook the Red cabbage in it?

I have the book - I'll check...

[Blatherskite]

It's definitely for cooking red cabbage in. Recipe is on the Ham recipe page, in grey on the left hand side of page 206

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I wondered about this too. In the end the decision was made as my wonderful mother threw it down the sink even though I had specifically said that I needed to keep it.

[StealthPolarBear]

If you cooke red cabbage in it make sure you tell any vegis!

[Blatherskite]

We made Ham in Cherry coke for Christmas last year and made the cabbage.

TBH, I'd tip it down the sink, the cabbage was awful.

[DilysPrice]

The red cabbage version is from Feast (which is a cherry Coke variant), whereas the black bean soup is from How To Eat (normal Coke). Never tried the black bean soup but the red cabbage works equally well with the normal coke stock.
You just shred a red cabbage, add it to the stock along with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar (red wine vinegar for pref, but balsamic or cider probably also good), and simmer for about an hour. Fabulously good with the ham and mash.

[MayorNaze]

we have a bottle of cherry coke

nobody likes it

now i know what to do with it :)

[CheckeredFlag]

I got the recipe from the website, hence not seeing the red cabbage bit. Sounds good though, I'll try that next time. Might check out the black bean recipe too, I've never made that.

[partystress]

oh, just doing ham in ordinary Coke now, from memory and half cut. will take til past midnight as stayed at a party longer than planned.... don't remember any onion though - am I supposed to chuck one in? Whole? Chopped? Anything else??

[CheckeredFlag]

Whole onion and coke to cover ham, nothing else til the cloves, treacle, mustard, honey, roasting bit.