New ideas for the best Christmas side dishes

Carrots

• Heritage: Look for colourful purple, yellow and orange carrots to add variety
• Brown butter: Cook butter on the hob until it turns a dark caramel colour and drizzle over steamed carrots for a nutty finish
• Microwave: Toss baby carrots with butter and microwave for 5-6 mins in a large, covered bowl with 2 tsp water until just tender

Roast potatoes

• Freeze ahead: Keep parboiled potatoes in the freezer and roast in hot rapeseed oil until golden to save time
• Cheesy: Toss parboiled potatoes in a mix of flour and parmesan for savoury, cheesy roasties
• Hasselback: Slice like a hedgehog and roast for more texture and a premium look on the plate

Sprouts

• Say NO to scoring: Don’t cross the bottom of your sprouts as it makes them soggy
• Marmite butter: Mix 100g unsalted butter with 4 tsp Marmite and chill until firm. Toss sprouts with flavoured butter just before serving
• Middle Eastern sprouts: Griddle halved sprouts until charred and dress with pomegranate, molasses and pistachios
• Gluten-free recommendation: Brussels sprouts with cranberries and chestnuts

Red cabbage

Red cabbage adds great colour to the plate and can take a wide range of flavour combinations.

• Ginger beer, coriander and apple: Fry 1 red onion until soft and add 1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds. Stir in 1 shredded red cabbage and cook for 5 mins. Add 350ml ginger beer, 1 whole star anise, 1⁄2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 chopped, peeled apple. Cook for 1 hr on low until soft.
• Port, prunes and orange: Gently fry 1 large onion in butter in an ovenproof dish until golden. Add 1 medium, finely sliced red cabbage, 220ml port, 80g pitted prunes, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and juice and zest of an orange. Bake for 2 hrs at 140C, stirring halfway through and adding more liquid if needed.
• Chorizo, fennel and pear: Fry 120g diced chorizo to release its oils and add 1⁄2 tbsp fennel seeds. Add 1 sliced red onion and 1 sliced fennel bulb and cook until soft. Add 1 finely sliced red cabbage, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 tin pears in their juice. Cook for 30 mins or until soft.

Roasted roots

• Parsnips: Roast chunky parsnips with potatoes for extra sweetness
• Butternut squash: Stuff a whole butternut squash with vegetarian stuffing for an impressive alternative main dish for non-meat eaters or as a grand side dish
• Sweet potato: Counts as one of your five a day. Roast it with ordinary potatoes or puree with a touch of cinnamon
• Celeriac: Makes an elegant gratin or mash as a stylish alternative to potatoes