MARJORAM LEAVES RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Scrub the squash (there’s no need to peel it), carefully halve it lengthways and deseed, then chop into 2cm chunks.
  2. Place the squash in a roasting tray, pick and chop most of the marjoram leaves, then toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 1 hour, or until soft and caramelised.
  3. With 20 minutes to go on the squash, simmer the stock over a low heat. Peel and finely chop the onion and celery, then place in a high-sided pan on a medium heat with ½ a tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until softened but not coloured, stirring regularly, then stir in the rice to toast for 2 minutes.
  4. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Add a ladleful of stock and wait until it’s been fully absorbed before adding another, stirring constantly and adding ladlefuls of stock until the rice is cooked – it will need 16 to 18 minutes.
  5. Remove the squash from the oven and mash up with a fork – I like to do half smashed and leave half chunky, then stir through the risotto about halfway through.
  6. Meanwhile, trim the broccoli, halving any larger stalks lengthways to help it cook evenly. Steam for 2 minutes, or until just cooked but still full of colour, then toss with the lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and season to perfection.
  7. When the risotto is done, add enough extra stock or boiling kettle water to make the risotto oozy, then finely grate in the Parmesan, and beat in with the butter.
  8. Cover the pan, turn off the heat and leave to relax for 2 minutes. Stir, season to perfection, then divide between your plates.
  9. Pick over the remaining marjoram and serve topped with the broccoli. Lovely.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat your oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. Bring two large pans of salted water to the boil.
  2. Scrub the beets, then place in one of the pans - keep them separate to stop the rest of your veg turning red! Parboil for 20 to 25 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, peel the carrots and parsnips, then chop any bigger ones in half along with the turnips. Trim and quarter the fennel.
  4. Place the prepped veg together in the second pan and parboil for 10 minutes. Drain all the veg and leave to steam dry, then separate them out so you can hit them with those different flavours.
  5. Toss the beets with the balsamic vinegar and whole herb sprigs.
  6. Toss the carrots with the clementine juice and throw in the squeezed halves, then pick over the rosemary leaves.
  7. Toss the parsnips with the vinegar and tear over the sage leaves. Reserve the honey for later.
  8. Toss the turnips with the vinegar and bay.
  9. Toss the fennel with the lemon juice, then pick over the thyme leaves.
  10. Lay them out on a large tray, keeping each veg type together. If you're making this ahead, you can get up to this stage the day before, then cover them with tin foil and keep them with your spuds till your turkey is resting. Nothing will discolour because of the oil and acid.
  11. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden, crispy and beautiful. About 5 minutes before the veg are ready, drizzle the honey over the parsnips.
  12. Once ready, give the tray a jiggle, then pile the veg on a platter.