Christmas dinner

Mostly for personal reference for next year, here were my xmas dinner notes. I forgot about stuffing, and didn’t make yorkshire puddings properly because our main oven is broken (we have a convection oven, which was fine for everything else). We also made gravy from granules, sorry everyone.

Following these three videos mostly:

• Potatoes: https://youtu.be/xOXfA5QewH8?si=ZchkzHeKcdJG3urP
• Veg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meHfrktmvIo
• Sprouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwcG3A6WKys

Main tips:

1. Boil potates until they are falling apart, then leave to dry.
2. Parboil veg.
3. Veg and potatoes can have prep done ahead of time.

Prep (day before or morning)

Roast potatoes

I used Maris Piper potatoes.

1. Peel, cut into four, leave some edges.
2. Run under cold water for about five minutes to remove starch (water runs clear).
3. Potatoes into a pan in water starting from cold. Bring the pan to a boil. Then boil a bit above a simmer for 25-30 mins. They should be cracked and a bit broken, but not totally devoid of structure.
4. Carefully remove onto a tray (using tongs).
5. Leave out to cool and harden.

Veg

Carrots and parsnips.

1. Peel
2. Cut into thirds, further halving the girthy tip, and leaving the thinner root whole.
3. Add aromatics: lemon/orange peel, rosemary stems, thyme.
4. Put into salted cold water. Bring to boil. Simmer for three minutes.
5. Place onto a tray in fridge.

Sprouts

500g bag.

1. Cut off end, cut in half, remove outer leaves.
2. Wash in cold water.
3. Boil slightly salted water.
4. Add sprouts, bring back to the boil quickly, boil for three minutes.
5. Leave in ice water for ten minutes to stop the cooking.
6. Prepare a dressing with: zest from lemon/orange, cranberrys, 50ml evoo, teaspoon of thyme, tablespoon honey, salt.
7. Toast some quartered walnuts from about three minutes on high heat.
8. Sprouts and dressing in fridge

On the day

Overall plan:

Potatoes

1. Get a big dish, add plenty of oil, heat in oven.
2. Spread potatoes in a single layer, and carefully coat with the oil.
3. Every twenty minutes, turn the potates.
4. When close to done (probably after around an hour), add rosemary, thyme and garlic cloves (you can leave the skin on and bash them) for a final 20 mins i.e. leave in longer than you’d think.

Veg

1. Coat with oil and salt using your hands.
2. Every ten minutes, flip.
3. After 20 mins, you can remove the aromatics (peel etc).
4. After 30 mins, add a bit of honey (tablespoon) and rosemary leaves.
5. After a further 5-7 mins will be done.

Sprouts

1. Dry out (I forgot to do this).
2. Coat with evoo and salt.
3. Get your frying pan hot, then place sprouts flat edge down. Char, around 2-3 mins.
4. Add dressing and nuts to the pan, stir and toss, done.