Cooking Christmas dinner for a big family can be stressful – so we asked celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo for his top tips to help make it chilled and easy.
Here are his top tips:
1. Turkey breasts – not the whole bird
A whole bird takes hours to cook so Gino says breasts are a quicker option for those of you who can’t handle the wait.
Add a couple of slices of Parma ham and cook in a pan with butter and olive oil. Add a splash of Marsala wine when you turn them over and buon appetito.
2. Frozen roast potatoes
There’s no need to worry about the peeler with these.
Put them straight in the roasting tray with rosemary and crushed garlic and into the oven for about 40-45 minutes at around 200 degrees to get them crispy.
3. Oven roasted Brussels sprouts
Something to get you enjoying an infamous Christmas classic.
Boil the sprouts for five minutes. In a separate bowl mix some chopped flat-leaf parsley, grated pecorino cheese, fine toasted breadcrumbs, chopped garlic and of course seasoned with some salt and pepper.
Put the mix on top of the sprouts in a dish and pop in the oven for 15 minutes at 220 degrees.
4. How to chop an onion and not cry
We all know the pain of onion tears, but there’s a way around it. Keep your eyes at a distance and cut the onion at each end and in half before peeling.
Do be careful of your fingers though!
5. The key to thick gravy
Gravy looking too runny? Gino says this one is simple – just add cornflour.
Put the cornflour in an espresso cup and add some water and mix. Add it to the gravy and give that a mix too – then its ready to be fought over on the table! Gino has partnered with potato experts McCain to encourage Brits to continue cooking the traditional Christmas roast.
