chris’s christmas tips.

with a bit of planning [ and a few tricks ], take the stress out of the kitchen and buy yourself more time for other festivities.

building lego, getting drunk, a well-earned nap? you know how it goes.

PREP

Prep as much as you can in the days before.

dec. 23-24. par boil the potatoes. Wash and prep your veg and keep in water or airtight container in the fridge.

make a good stock this weekend and keep in the freezer. good stock base = gravy level up.

Season generously, early, and properly. Salt turkey 24-48 hours before cooking for even seasoning and even juicier meat. 

potatoes 

give proper time for your roast potatoes. they will probably take the longest.

par-boil potatoes the night before [ or even dec 23 ] a fork should slide in with slight ease.

drain and rough up the edges. let air-dry fully in the fridge. 

cook in very hot fat (goose, beef or duck fat if you’re feeling classic, oil for lighter) with space around each potato. 

turn only when fully browned. 
  
rest everything 

meat, potatoes, and even roasted veg taste better after a short rest: 
- turkey: one hour. 
- roast potatoes: five–ten minutes for the steam to settle. gives a crispier surface. 
- pigs-in-blankets: three–five minutes so they don’t dry out. 
 
keep it easy 

don’t over crowd your oven – roast potatoes and turkey / meat only. whilst your meat is resting roast your veg, pigs in blankets etc. 

serve something cold. a lovely salad. cabbage, raw veg or leaves can be prepped the day ahead and dressed just before you eat. 

make braised red cabbage a few days ahead. this gets better after a day. warm gently in the oven. 
  
gravy 

make a deep, reduced, gelatin-rich base with roasted chicken wings, veg and herbs. [ can be done well in advance and kept in freezer ] 

use white wine to deglaze your roasting tray. reduce to a syrup. then add the gravy base. 

finish with a knob of cold butter for gloss. 
  
acidity is key 
even the richest christmas plate needs something bright. 
- a squeeze of lemon on sprouts. 
- a splash of vinegar in red cabbage. 
- a cheeky squirt of ketchup in your gravy (trust me). 
- fresh herbs chopped at the last minute (parsley, thyme, chives, mint).