A Sweet Holiday Ham To Sing About
Robert Cazimero
PHOTO COURTESY MOUNTAIN APPLE COMPANY
“A Cazimero Christmas” will go on hiatus this December out of consideration for the health of Roland Cazimero of The Brothers Cazimero, but his award-winning singer, songwriter and kumu hula brother Robert has a treat for you this year with his brand new holiday show “Hawaii Kalikimaka” at historic Hawaii Theatre.
Robert has invited guest vocalist Starr Kalahiki and many hula friends, including Miss Keiki Hula 2014 Keaolani Hokule’akeaouli Hosino and Miss Aloha Hula 2014 Ke’alohilani Tara Eliga Serrao, along with Halau Na Kamalei o Lililehua and the Ladies of the Royal Dance Company.
For Robert, dance is universal, and pairing it with festive Hawaiian mele and an incredible lineup of guest stars and dancers is only natural. In 1975 he founded Halau Na Kamalei, an all-male hula school, when men weren’t in the hula spotlight.
It also was an incredible time for Hawaiian music. The siblings made more than just waves as The Brothers Cazimero. They led a resurgence of Hawaiian music, language and dance.
Music and hula will fill beautiful Hawaii Theatre Dec. 12-14, produced by Burton White and under the musical direction of Aaron Sala. These shows are sure to be sellouts!
For more information and tickets, call Hawaii Theatre Centre at 528-0506.
Although Robert is famously not a cook, his favorite holiday meal is traditional baked ham. Here’s a healthier way to prepare this dish so you can keep it on the menu this holiday season!
I like to purchase ham without the addition of sodium nitrate or nitrites, which are available at some supermarkets and specialty stores. A 3-ounce portion of ham has approximately 125 calories, 4.5 grams of fat (only 1.5 saturated), 50 milligrams of cholesterol and 20 grams of protein. If you wash and dry the ham before cooking, you will rinse some salt off. Ham also contains B vitamins, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, selenium and potassium.
SWEET AND SPICY HONEY GLAZED HAM
* 1 fully cooked half ham (about 7-9 pounds), preferably with no nitrates or nitrites (trim most of the fat off)
* 1/3 cup Hawaiian honey
* 1/3 cup dark-brown sugar (you may use brown sugar substitute)
* 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground all-spice
* 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set the fully cooked ham cut-side down on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer, tent ham loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 2 hours or until the thermometer registers 140 degrees (about 20 minutes per pound).
While ham is cooking, in a saucepan add honey, brown sugar, spices and juice. Stir until well-combined and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Remove the pan from heat. Remove ham from oven and brush half of the glaze over it evenly with a pastry brush.
Bake ham for about 20 minutes more, and brush with remaining honey mixture.
Bake for about 20 minutes more, or until temperature is 140 degrees. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. heartychef@ hotmail.com
