Sprouts never tasted so good

Christmas dinner is not just about the turkey, you can have the world’s greatest bird but if it served up with vegetables that have been over cooked and are colourless and tasteless the meal will never do it justice. When choosing your vegetable think about the colours and textures that they are going to bring to the plate. Vegetables can be pureed, mashed roasted, steamed, boiled and baked a mixture of each method on the plate will not only save you running out of oven space but will complement the turkey and create a fantastic Christmas dinner. Why not try carrot celeriac and swede puree, honey roast parsnips oven baked savoy cabbage with white wine and thyme red cabbage braised with orange and cinnamon and sprouts fried with bacon and chestnuts and of course roast potatoes. These give you a mixture of colours textures and flavours.

Honey Parsnips

Roast your parsnips as normal but 20 minuets before they are finished drizzle with warm honey.

The Puree

Dice equal of carrots, celeriac and swede into roughly the same size and gently boil until they start to soften

Strain in a colander and leave for a couple of minuets to allow steam to evaporate otherwise you will end up with a sloppy puree.

Add a knob of butter puree in a blender and season to taste

Baked savoy Cabbage

Finely slice and wash your cabbage and half a small onion

Put into a roasting tray add a large knob of butter salt pepper half a glass of white wine a good hand full of thyme cover with tin foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until softened.

Sprouts

The king of the Christmas vegetable cook properly.

Peel the outer leaves from you sprouts and cut a shallow cross in the bottom of each one to allow for even cooking.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil add sprouts and cook to al dente cool in cold water

When the time comes fry off some chopped bacon add your chestnuts cut into half or quarters and then sprouts finish with chopped parsley and serve.