HERE wego, another new year leading to the terror of

the millennium bug when aero- planes are meant to drop from the sky, all monies are lost in confusion, hospitals lose all their records etc., etc., woe, woe. It sounds like the apocalypse, and to cap it all there is that terrible Dome in the offing; heaven knows what will happen there. How- ever, I hope you all have a jolly new year unto yourselves. I am on some terrifying drug to ward off Delhi belly, which the doc- tor says I might have from all my travels; it makes you feel a lot worse than the com- plaint, so let's hope it works. Also you are not allowed to drink, so gloom abounds.

It was my feast day last week: St Genevieve of Paris, who saved the city twice against King Childeric of the Franks when she rescued the people from starva- tion by bringing boatloads of corn up the river and then getting rid of Attila the Hun by prayer and complete trust in God. This week we have, among others, Arcadius, who, rather like 'Jim who was eaten by the lion, bit by bit', had all his fingers, toes and limbs cut off, bit by bit, until there was only his trunk and head left, but he could still cry out, 'You are happy, my members, now you really belong to God.' Stout fellow. Then there is Sava, who taught the Serbs that they could plough a field both ways instead of dragging the plough backwards after each furrow to start again from the same end of a field; they were obviously not quite the full shilling.

Potted meats and fish seem to have gone out of fashion, except for shrimps, which is a pity; they are very palatable and also a good way of using up leftovers. Try this next time you have a hunk of ham left, or even make it on purpose, but always with good ham, not nasty, slimy packets.

Potted ham

1 lb cooked ham cut into cubes 8 fl. oz clarified unsalted butter (see below)

'Wild party, Chris.'

squeeze of lemon juice

good pinch ground mace, about 1/4 teaspoon good pinch cayenne pepper (ditto)

small pinch ground cloves, about 3 heads pinch of powdered bay leaves

Place the butter in a pan and melt very slowly indeed. Place the melted butter in a bowl and chill. When hard, discard the milky liquid on the bottom, retaining only the now clarified butter. Make sure there is no gristle in the ham cubes. Chop it finely in a processor but do not let it get puréed. Add 6 fl. oz of the clarified butter, the squeeze of lemon, cayenne, mace, cloves and bay leaf. Mix thoroughly but in short spurts to avoid making a paste. Adjust the seasoning to your taste, then pack into ramekins or little pots a small amount at a time to avoid air-pockets. Leave a quarter- inch gap on top. Smooth the tops and chill. When chilled, pour the remaining butter over the pots to make a layer a quarter-inch thick (you may need more butter). Let it cool and begin to congeal, then cover or wrap the ramekins to refrigerate or freeze. It will keep for three weeks in the refrigera- tor or about one week if you omit the but- ter seal, and for two months in the freezer — then it should be thawed unopened in the refrigerator. Serve with hot crisp toast and maybe a salad.

Now for a potted fish from my dear Mr Kauffmann, whom I have met at last.

Spiced potted salmon 1 lb salmon fillet

10 oz clarified unsalted butter 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground mace 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 11/2 teaspoons salt

1 whole lemon 1 small bulb fennel lemon juice parsley, finely chopped

Cut the salmon fillet in half horizontally. Mix all the spices together and spread on the inside of the fish with the seasonings. Sandwich the fish together again and place in a dish. Melt the butter and pour a quar- ter of it over the salmon. Cut the fennel into fine slices and place it around the salmon. Slice the whole lemon and place on top. Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the salmon is cooked, at Gas 4, 350F, 180C. Remove the fennel and lemon slices. Take the skin and bones from the salmon and flake it into a bowl. Taste and add lemon juice to your own delectation, add about one tablespoon of chopped parsley and a further quarter of the remaining butter. Pack into ramekins and cover with the rest of the butter. Chill and serve with generous amounts of watercress, a crusty roll or baguette and lemon wedges. Note: any juices left after cooking the salmon should be added to the salmon mixture. This will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator or four in the freezer.