Christmas 2016: How to make the best side dishes

Liven up traditional vegetables with the important little touches that turn Sunday roast into a show-stopping Christmas dinner

Fig and chestnut stuffing

Sally Abé shares her recipe for fig and chestnut stuffing – a delicious alternative to traditional stuffing and the perfect accompaniment to roast turkey for Christmas, as well as chicken, pork or other roasts.

Growing up, the only stuffing served at Christmas in our house was Paxo sage and onion (just add boiling water). It wasn’t until many years later, when hosting Christmas myself, that I discovered how delicious it can be when made from scratch, and really easy too! The obvious choice of fruit to add is cranberry, but I feel that figs work even better and add a lovely sweetness to the chestnuts.

I would also consider adding sausagemeat, but my long-suffering vegetarian mum deserves a chance to try this! You could use this stuffing to stuff your turkey but for me it’s all about the crispy bits on top of the tray.

100g butter
1 red onion, diced
100g button mushrooms, diced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
200g chestnuts, cooked and peeled
100g dried figs, chopped
250ml vegetable stock
100g fresh breadcrumbs
100g butter
Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat with 25g of the butter and sweat down the onion and mushrooms with the thyme until softened but not coloured. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chestnuts and figs, cook for a further 5 minutes then add the stock and bring to the boil.

Melt the remaining butter and mix through the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Add the chestnut mixture to the breadcrumbs and mix well. Grease a baking dish with butter and press in the mixture – the mixture should be about 2cm deep, I used a 20 x 30cm dish. Bake for 45 minutes, until the top is lovely and crispy.

This recipe by Sally Abé first appeared on Great British Chefs

Spiced roast potatoes with coriander, cumin and black pepper

A fragrant twist on traditional roast potatoes, these Afghani-spiced versions from Sumayya Usmani are the perfect accompaniment to her alternative Christmas dinner, or indeed a Sunday roast.

Roast potatoes really do complete a Christmas dinner, and although perfectly roasted potatoes with just a little salt can’t be beaten, I love this spiced version with my Afghani blend of black peppercorns, coriander and cumin seeds, together with the thyme-like flavour of ajwain seeds. The tart sourness of tamarind is balanced by sweet brown sugar and the mineral nature of Himalayan pink salt. These make a lovely side to my Kashmiri-style roast lamb shanks recipe.

3 large Maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm chunks
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ajwain seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp soft brown sugar, or crumbled jaggery
1 pinch pink Himalayan salt
1 tbsp tamarind paste
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, to serve

Add the potato chunks to a pan of salted water and bring to the boil over a moderate heat. Parboil for 6-8 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. Meanwhile, place the peppercorns, coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan and lightly toast over a moderate heat until fragrant, being careful not to let them burn. Transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.

Once the potatoes are parboiled, drain in a colander and transfer to a deep baking tray. Shake the pan to roughen up the surface and edges of the potatoes. Combine the ajwain seeds, chilli flakes, pink salt and sugar with the toasted spices, then sprinkle over the potatoes. Add the tamarind paste and vegetable oil, mixing with the potatoes and spices so that everything is evenly coated.

Transfer to the oven and cook for 20 minutes, tossing everything around halfway through the cooking time, until the potatoes are crispy yet soft inside, with slightly caramelised edges. Sprinkle with the freshly chopped coriander and serve immediately.

This recipe by Sumayya Usmani first appeared on Great British Chefs

Roast cauliflower and chestnuts

Cauliflower and chestnuts combine to provide a delicious and straightforward side. Curry powder adds an exciting kick to this Paul Foster classic. If you’re pushed for time, the vacuum-packed chestnuts from your local shop work just as well.

16 large cauliflower florets
10 chestnuts, peeled and roughly chopped
50g curry powder
200g butter
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 140˚C/gas mark 2. Cut the florets in half lengthways and dip the flat side in the curry powder to coat. Place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the butter to the pan and as soon as it begins to foam, add the florets, flat side down, and caramelise slowly.

Remove the cauliflower florets from the pan and place on a baking tray. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 12-15 minutes until tender and soft. Meanwhile, add the chestnuts to the frying pan with a small knob of butter and cook gently until golden brown (8-10 minutes). Remove from the pan and keep in a warm place until required. Remove the cauliflower from the oven, season with sea salt and place in a warm serving bowl. Top with the chestnuts and serve.

This recipe by Paul Foster first appeared on Great British Chefs