Baked Country Ham

Heat the oven to 350F.

Peel the skin from the ham and trim the fat to a 1/4-inch layer. Using a sharp knife, score the fat in a diamond pattern.

Line a large shallow baking pan with aluminum foil and place the ham in the pan. Insert a whole clove in each intersection of the diamonds and pat the mustard evenly over the top and sides of the ham. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and pour the apple juice into the pan. Bake for 1-1/2 hours, basting frequently.

After putting the ham in the oven, combine the port, dates, figs, and prunes in a small bowl. Add the fruit and port to the pan after the ham has baked 1-1/2 hours. Bake for 30 minutes, basting frequently.

Place the ham on a bed of watercress on a large serving platter.

Gently stir the fruit through the pan juices in the bottom of the pan. Arrange the figs, dates, and prunes in alternating rows across the ham, securing the fruit with small toothpicks. Drizzle a little of the pan juices over the top. Pour the remainder into a sauceboat and serve immediately.