CHRISTMAS EGGNOG RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Get your meat out of the fridge and up to room temperature before you cook it. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  2. Drizzle the lamb racks with olive oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt and black pepper, patting the seasoning all over the meat.
  3. Sear in a hot frying pan on a high heat with a little extra oil and 1 knob of butter for 2 to 3 minutes, turning with tongs until golden all over, then remove the racks to a roasting tray and let them cool.
  4. Peel 2 cloves of garlic and place in a food processor with the pistachios and parsley (stalks and all). Tear in the bread, finely grate in half the nutmeg and blitz into a fine green crumb.
  5. Generously brush each lamb rack with mustard, then cover with the herby crumb, patting it all over the top and sides.
  6. Roast for 25 minutes, until the crust is crisp, to give you beautifully blushing lamb. Remove from the oven and leave the lamb to rest for 10 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, trim just the stalk ends off the green beans and cook for 6 to 7 minutes in a pan of boiling salted water.
  8. Crush the remaining unpeeled clove of garlic through a garlic crusher into a jar and mix with 1 teaspoon of mustard, the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice, then taste and season to perfection.
  9. Finely chop and add the tarragon leaves. Drain the beans and toss with the dressing. Carve up the lamb and serve with the dressed green beans and my potato al forno.

Steps:

• GET AHEAD 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. 2. Peel the onions, wash the carrots, then roughly chop with the celery and bacon. Put the veg, bay leaves, sage, rosemary and star anise into a sturdy high-sided roasting tray, then scatter the chopped bacon on top. 3. Break the chicken wings open, bash with a rolling pin to help release extra flavour as they cook, then add to the tray. Drizzle with oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, toss, then cook for 1 hour, or until tender. 4. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer to a low heat on the hob. Really grind and mash everything with a potato masher, scraping up all the goodness from the base of the tray (the longer you let it fry, the darker your gravy will be). If you want to add sherry or port, now’s the time to do so; just leave it to cook away for a few minutes. 5. Gradually stir in the flour, then pour in 2 litres of boiling kettle water. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally. 6. When the gravy is the consistency of your liking, pour it through a coarse sieve into a large bowl, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon. Taste and season to perfection, cool to room temperature, then pour into containers or bags and pop into the fridge or freezer, ready to finish off on Christmas Day. ON THE DAY 1. If frozen, take the gravy out to defrost when your turkey goes into the oven. 2. When the turkey’s perfectly cooked, remove it to a platter to rest for up to 2 hours, covered with a double layer of tin foil and a clean tea towel. Skim away most of the fat from the tray, cool, and place into a jar in the fridge for tasty cooking another day. 3. Pour your Get-ahead gravy into the tray with the rest of the turkey juices. Bring to the boil over the hob and scrape up all those sticky bits from the base. Have a taste, then stir in the Cranberry sauce to balance the flavours. 4. Once your gravy is piping hot, carefully strain through a coarse sieve into a pan, then leave it on the lowest heat until you’re ready to serve. Skim away any fat that rises to the top, and add any extra resting juices from the turkey before serving.