Festive Trimmings

The same but different…

I am a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to a Sunday Roast, especially the king of roasts, the Christmas Dinner. Experimentation, innovation and exploring the new is deliciously wonderful, but there is a time and a place. Call it nostalgia or simply comfort food, there are some meals that need to just be left well alone.

However… this does not mean that a few tweaks here and there to elevate the flavour just a smidge should be ignored. After all who wants to take a risk with the whole family to feed and when there are more important things that your time deserves.

Subtle seasonings are the name of the game, bringing a depth of flavour that lets the trimmings shine. 

Serves as many as you want to make or as big as your table is!
Preparation time: 20 minutes per trimming
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes for them all in total

Roasted Roots, Parsnips & Carrots

Honey & Rosemary Glazed

Ingredients:
Carrots & parsnips
Honey
Chopped rosemary
Butter
Rapeseed oil
Sea salt flakes & fresh ground black pepper

1. Wash & scrub the vegetables, then top and tail, but do not peel. Cut in half lengthways and then into quarters. If they are very long cut in half widthways. For the parsnips cut the thicker top end into wedges to match the thickness of the carrots.
2. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the carrots and parsnips for around 3 minutes. Drain and allow to steam in a colander.
3. Heat. a small puddle of oil and generous thumb of butter over a moderate heat in a large frying pan. Once the butter foams add the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Don’t be tempted to move them too much in the pan to allow some colour to build. Then add a drizzle of honey and continue to cook, deepening the colour for a few minutes. 
4. Add the chopped rosemary and finish the cooking in a hot oven.

Always Skin on Roast Potatoes

Cracked Black Pepper

1. The key to crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside is steam, but to get there wash and scrub the potatoes before cutting into large chunks (halves or quarters depending on the size of spud).
2. Bring a saucepan of water with a lid to the boil with at least double the volume of water to potato. Cook the potatoes until only just tender. To test stab with a sharp knife and pull out of the water. The potato will slowly release and drop back in about a second. 
3. Drain and leave the potatoes top steam. Spread them out as much as possible to allow as much moisture to escape as is feasible. 
4. When they are warm rather than hot to the touch, add to a large bowl and toss in plenty of oil and salt. They will break up a little and go fluffy around the edges.
5. Roast in a hot oven for around 45 minutes and for extra crisp preheat a roasting tin or baking tray to cook them on. 

Red Cabbage

Juniper & Bay 

Ingredients:
1 red cabbage
A good thumb of butter
4 bay leaves
1 tbs juniper berries
100g apple cider vinegar
60g demerara sugar
Sea salt flakes & fresh ground black pepper

1. This method of cooking is a hybrid of braised and pickled cabbage. Begin by shredding the cabbage finely before adding to a saucepan with the butter and salt. Cook slowly over a low heat for 15 minutes with the lid on, stirring every few minutes. 
2. Once steaming and beginning to soften add the bay and juniper, then cook as before for another 5 minutes. 
3. By now the colour will have become deeper and more uniform. Add the vinegar, sugar and pepper to the pan and replace the lid. Continue to cook for another 20 minutes or until the liquid has almost completely evaporated and softened the cabbage. 

King Sprouts

Chilli & Garlic

Ingredients:
Brussels sprouts
Rapeseed oil
Sea salt flakes & fresh ground black pepper
Sliced garlic (as much as you prefer)
A pinch of chilli flakes

1. Brussels sprouts need very little cooking, the longer they cook the more sulphurous they become. Their natural vibrancy and bite diminish rapidly so a fast flash fry is all they really need. This tones down the bite and brings out their nutty sweetness. 
2. Peel any tough outer leaves and cut half through the root and again into quarters so the leaves keep together. Give them a brief wash and drain. Wait until you are about to serve to begin cooking as this next stage will only take a few minutes. 
3. Heat a small puddle of oil over a high heat and fry the sprouts for a minute. Season with the sliced garlic, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Continue to fry until the edges are coloured and the green deepens. 

Leek ‘Crumble’

Creamy Indulgence

Ingredients:
4 leeks
Rapeseed oil
A small thumb of butter
Sea salt flakes & fresh ground black pepper
Sliced garlic (as much as you prefer)
Double cream
75g oats
75g plain flour
110g butter
A good pinch of thyme or rosemary

1. To prepare the leeks, pull off any tough outer leaves and thoroughly wash, then cut into 1 inch lengths.
2. Heat a small puddle of rapeseed oil and the butter over a moderate heat in a frying pan large enough to hold the leeks. Once the butter is foaming add the leeks cut face up so they are standing like soldiers. Cook for 5 minutes or until there is a visible browning to the edges. 
3. While they are browning make the topping. Add the cold diced butter, oats, flour and herbs to a processor and blitz to a coarse crumb. This can also be done by hand.
4. Remove from the pan and arrange in the same upright fashion in a roasting tray that is slightly too small so the leeks need to be packed tightly.
5. Season with the garlic, salt and pepper before adding enough double cream to come a third of the way up the leeks. Finish off by liberally covering with the crumble topping.
6. Roast in a hot oven for 25 minutes or until the topping is a rich golden brown and the cream is bubbling up the sides. 

This crumble is also delicious with cheese added to the butter. Try a 60g grated cheddar and 70g butter ratio to start, then play around with your favourite cheeses.

Robin Popham
Chef at ‘Create Terroir’ and Sandy Lane Farm veg box customer