If you’re the one tasked with preparing the Christmas dinner, there are countless things to remember.
However, Clare, who shares her culinary tips on TikTok under the handle @deliciousandreal, suggests doing some prep work beforehand to make your life easier.
This way, she says, you’ll have more time for « sipping champagne and eating canapes » – instead of being the only family member slaving away in the kitchen.
« Why not get all the Christmas peeling and chopping out of the way now? » the savvy home cook suggested.
She revealed this can be done sooner rather than later to ease your workload and reduce stress on December 25.
She added: « It’s one of the most time-consuming parts of Christmas dinner and leads to multiple pans to wash up afterwards. For my carrots and parsnips, I’ve peeled, chopped, and parboiled them.
« I then arranged them on a tray and froze. Once frozen, I transferred them to freezer bags. On Christmas Day, you can cook them from frozen in hot oil. »
Clare also mentioned she likes to add some « honey and herbs » to her vegetables to give the festive meal an extra touch of flair – but you can use whatever you prefer.
In the caption of the video, she also highlighted: « A little prep now means that you can spread the cost of Christmas dinner and save yourself time and effort over the festive period. »
She explained you’ll need 600g carrots and 600g parsnips, 30g of butter, and three tablespoons of runny honey. She also gave a blow-by-blow account about what you’re supposed to do with the carrots and parsnips to ensure a hassle-free Christmas.
Clare wrote: « 1. Put the carrots and parsnips into a large pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. 2. Boil for 6 minutes and then drain in a colander and leave to steam-dry for a few minutes. 3. Lay out in a single layer on a baking tray to dry out and cool completely. 4. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours, then put in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. »
When it’s December 25, and you’re ready to cook the carrots and parsnips, Clare said: « 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 2. Place the butter and honey on a large baking tray or in a roasting tin and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. 3. Tip the frozen veg into the tray and baste in the honey and butter. 4. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Roast for 30 minutes. »
It should make Christmas that little bit easier, and it’ll give you more time to focus on the turkey that’s cooking in the oven. Just sure you don’t burn it…
