How to give your Christmas dinner a glow-up

At Christmas I believe every mouthful should be an absolute explosion of flavour; I have no time for under-seasoned parsnips, limp-yet-singed carrots or soggy sprouts. Yet with a kitchen pushed to its limit, every hob in use and the constant oven Tetris to tackle (let alone getting everything to the table before it goes cold), playing around with complex recipes on Christmas morning isn’t something anyone wants to do. The answer? Something I’ve been doing for years; create your own mini-pantry of flavour hacks to give your Christmas dinner the glow-up it deserves.

These super-simple flavour enhancing micro-recipes are packed with festive flavours and designed to be versatile, allowing even the most cautious of cooks some creativity of their own. They can all be made in advance and will keep for weeks (although they’re so quick to make they’re good for some last-minute inspiration too). Stock up on these recipes and you can still serve all the Christmas classics, but with a little bit of pizazz that doesn’t cause a culinary meltdown on the day itself. Win-win-win!

5 hacks to transform your Christmas dinner

These five flavour hacks can be used on every element of your Christmas dinner, breathing life into the meat and veg as you see fit. But read on for some of my favourite ways to use each of them for the best Christmas dinner you’ll ever have.

Crispy shallot, pistachio and cranberry savoury granola

This stuff is the absolute bee’s knees (if I do say so myself). As well as myriad sweet and salty flavours, this magical concoction adds a world of texture to your dishes: crispy shallots, crunchy pistachios, juicy cranberries and chewy honeyed oats. The granola will keep in an airtight container for months, so feel free to make a big batch if you want to use it regularly.

How to make it: 

1 Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Put 50g jumbo oats, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds and 2 tbsp shelled pistachios, roughly chopped, onto an oven tray, then stir in 20ml vegetable oil and 30g honey loosely – you want everything to clump together a little.

2 Bake for 5 minutes, then give everything a little stir, trying not to break up the clumps. Bake for 5 more minutes, then stir again. Add 40g dried cranberries and 20g crispy shallots or onions (check they’re gluten-free if you need them to be), stir again and bake for a final 5 minutes. Stir in ½ tsp sea salt flakes, then leave to cool. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. 

How I use it:

• Sprinkled over soft, fudgy honey-roasted parsnips
• Strewn over bread sauce (a great dish on its own but one that cries out for a bit of texture)
• Used to garnish pâté (particularly mushroom pâté) for a stunning starter

Hazelnut, orange and rosemary chilli oil

Chilli heat isn’t something you usually see at Christmas, but this festively fiery oil helps enliven the often overly rich combination of flavours (serve it at the table for people to add as they please, as this one might be a step too far for traditionalists). It has a bit of crunch and extra flavour thanks to citrus peel, nuts and rosemary, and I find it’s treated with caution until someone gives it a go – then everyone wants a spoonful.

How to make it:

1 Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6 and put 1 tbsp blanched hazelnuts on a small tray. Toast for 8 minutes, shaking the tray halfway through for an even toasting, then leave to cool.

2 Pour 170g jar chiu chow chilli oil and all its sediment into a small pan. Finely chop 2 rosemary sprigs and roughly chop the nuts, then add both to the pan. Finely zest 1 orange into the oil, then add 20ml vegetable or sunflower oil too. Bring up to a vigorous simmer, then leave to cool before transferring to a jar with the lid on. Keep in the fridge for up to a month.

How I use it:

• Drizzled over steamed carrots
• Stirred through greens (peas and broccoli especially)
• Swirled over a soup starter or as a dip for canapés or snacks on Christmas morning

Sage and nutmeg garlic butter

My most-used flavour-hack for meals is compound (flavoured) butter – I always have some in the freezer, ready to dress unsuspecting vegetables. This one is infused with the earthy woodiness of sage and nutmeg, along with a fiery kick from the garlic.

How to make it:

1 Put 100g softened unsalted butter in a bowl and finely grate in 2 garlic cloves. Finely chop 20 large sage leaves, then stir in, along with ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg and ½ tsp sea salt flakes, until all equally combined.

2 Spoon the butter into a log shape on a piece of baking paper and roll up, then fold over both ends. You can then store the butter in the freezer indefinitely, slicing a piece off and using it straight from frozen.

How I use it:

• Rubbed under the turkey’s skin before roasting for extra wintry flavour and richness
• Slathered into a small baguette for seriously festive garlic bread
• Tossed with sprouts (or any veg) as they roast for a brown butter finish that’s nutty and fragrant

Pomegranate, fig and marmalade glaze

Three of the most festive fruits come together to create a sweet and tart sticky glaze. It’s a no-brainer for roast ham, but it’ll work wonders on your Christmas dinner too, lending meat and veg an unctuous, glossy finish.

How to make it:

1 Mix 2 tbsp marmalade, 2 tbsp fig conserve or jam, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses and ½ tsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar with a pinch of salt and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

How I use it:

• Stirred into a tray of roast carrots just before serving
• Brushed over pigs in blankets for the final few minutes of cooking time
• Mixed with a knob of butter in a pan, then tossed with boiled parsnips until glossy and caramelised

Rosemary and juniper candied pecans

These are the crispiest, crunchiest candied nuts you’ll ever taste. I’ve added juniper and rosemary for a floral wintery vibe, and while they’re perfect for spontaneous Christmas snacking, they really come into their own used as a garnish for sides and salads begging for a sweet and salty crunch.

How to make it:

1 Grind 1 tbsp dried juniper berries into a coarse powder, then put in a pan with 2 roughly chopped rosemary sprigs, 200g sugar and 200ml water. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan.

2 Add 200g pecans to the syrup, put back over a medium heat, cover and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve, then leave the nuts to steam-dry for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep pan to 180°C.

3 Gently add the nuts to the oil (in batches if you need to) and fry for a few minutes until crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt. The nuts will keep in an airtight container for up to a month. Before using you can finely chop them to use as a crumb, or leave them whole.

How I use it:

• Tossed with a simple salad of blood orange and leaves for a simple yet beautiful starter
• Scattered over braised red cabbage for aromatic crunch
• Sprinkled over ice cream with a boozy fruit compote for an alternative pud

Looking for more ways to add excitement to your Christmas lunch? Browse our alternative Christmas roast ideas.