Here is my guide to my favourite meal of all time – the ultimate roast dinner. I’m not a big believer that you have to have a particular centrepiece on a good veggie roast. As long as it’s loaded with trimmings I am a very happy customer. But if you’d like to opt for a traditional centrepiece, this leek tart would work very well.

The Roast Potatoes

Arguably the best bit. I keep it simple, if it ain’t broke etc etc. Maris Pipers, King Edward’s, Yukon Gold and Russet all work well. These are medium floury varieties, which form a lovely crust and colour up evenly.

I peel the potatoes, cut into 2 or 3 pieces and par boil from cold, heavily salted water. Then drain, allow excess stream to billow off and gives it a shake around the colander to rough up the edges. Heat up plenty of fat of choice in a baking tray – crucially this needs to be metal to crisp up the tatties well. I use rapeseed or vegetable oil for their high smoke points. Add the potatoes to the hot fat, baste and whack back in the oven at 200c until golden and crispy. Turn once or twice as they cook. Then stir in a good pinch of chopped rosemary and cook for a further 5 minutes or so.

The Carrots

I’ve used heritage baby carrots here, but any carrots work. Wash thoroughly (I don’t find you need to peel) and boil in salted water until tender. Then roll around a pan with plenty of butter and finish with chopped parsley.

The Greens

There needs to be at least one simple green element on a dish. But more is more so a mix of greens always goes down well. I’ve done purple sprouting broccoli here, but of course use whatever you like, or whatever is in season locally. Shredded green cabbage, asparagus, green beans or peas always work very well. Just blanche in boiling water until tender, then drain and roll around in butter with a good pinch of salt.

The cabbage wedges

I love to use sweetheart / hispi cabbage but Savoy or regular white cabbage would work too. Cut into wedges, colour on the cut side in a hot pan. Add plenty of butter, thyme and salt. Turn down the heat and cook until tender, turning from time to time.

Herby Lentil Stuffing

There are so many different variations you can make with stuffing. I love using mushrooms in winter and dried fruits in the summer. I find this herby lentil recipe works very well in spring – I have provided a method below.

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp thyme leaves
2 tbsp chopped parsley
olive oil
salt and pepper
100ml hot porcini stock (from gravy recipe)
80g cooked green or brown lentils
100g breadcrumbs

Method
1. Sweat the shallot, garlic, thyme and fennel seeds with a little oil until softened
2. Stir in the the parsley, lentils, breadcrumbs and season to taste
3. Stir in the porcini stock, little by little until you are able to just form balls with the breadcrumbs – you won’t need to use it all
4. Place on a lined baking tray and cook and bake at 190-200c until golden

Yorkshire Puddings

You can’t argue with the classics – I don’t think there’s any messing to be done with the goated Yorkshire pudding, my love of Sunday lunch centres on swiping soft hunks of Yorkshire pud through a deeply savoury gravy. I crack my eggs (1 egg for every two people), then measure out an equal amount of plain flour and whole milk to match the volume of the eggs (not weight). This is whisked together until smoothish and set aside.

It is best made a day ahead and kept in the fridge. But it’s also fine to do it on the day as well. If so I would make the batter your first job when preparing your roast. Place a Yorkshire pudding tray or muffin tray in the oven with a tbsp veg or rapeseed oil in each hole. Let that get hot in the oven for at least 10 mins, then remove from the oven, pour the batter two thirds of the way up and return to the oven. Reduce the oven temp down to 185c fan and cook for 20-25 minutes before checking the colour. It should be a golden brown. Do not open the oven door at all until 20 minutes have passed or it will impact the rise.

The Gravy

This is the best veggie gravy, hands down

Ingredients
Serves 4 generously
1 shallot, sliced
3 or 4 sprigs thyme
100ml red wine
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp dried porcini
1 tbsp plain flour
1 heaped tbsp Marmite

Method
1. Bring a kettle full of water to a rolling boil. Place the porcini in a measuring jug and cover with 500ml of boiled water. Leave to stand for 15 minutes
2. In a medium pan sweat the shallots with a little oil until softened. Stir in the red wine and thyme. Simmer until the wine is nearly evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and flour. Cook out for 1 minute, then little by little stir in the porcini and stock
3. Stir in the Marmite and continue to simmer, stirring until you have reached a thick consistency and it has reduced enough that the flavour is fairly strong
4. Blend with a stick blender until smooth. Pass through a sieve if you want a very smooth gravy

The creamed leeks

Just sweat sliced leeks in a little oil with thyme and garlic until softened. Stir in double cream and simmer until thick and well coating the leeks. Season to taste.

Get Ahead

Of course it’s all very much doable on the day. But if you’re hosting or catering to a larger group you might want to get ahead to keep your day stress-free. Here are some of the bits you can get ahead on.

The Yorkshire pudding batter actively benefits from being made up a day ahead. Keep this in the fridge overnight and leave it out for 30 mins to come up towards room temperature before using. If you are not able to make the batter in advance just make it the first job when prepping your roast on the day. You can leave it out at room temperature while you get on with the rest of your prep. And cook them as late as possible.

Boil the carrots the day before and keep in the fridge overnight. You can even chop the parsley, and warm through (or microwave) with the butter before serving.

Make the gravy in advance. This takes up valuable job space throughout the day, so it’s well worth making beforehand. Just cool it as fast as you can – in a wide open container, preferably over an ice bath. Then transfer to the fridge and cover. Warm quickly in a saucepan or microwave just before serving.

Boil the greens, drain and cool in and ice bath. Then drain and store in the fridge overnight. Warm through in a pan or microwave with a little butter to serve.

The roast cabbage can be made a day before and warmed up briefly in the oven before serving.

RECENT RECIPES