How Laura Jackson Plans A Very Merry Photogenic Christmas

'The roasted grapes add a real sweetness and they're also great with goat's curd or goat's cheese instead of the labneh. Don't forget to add a final sprinkle of salt to really bring out all the favours before serving.' Serves: 8 INGREDIENTS 500g pot of thick Greek yogurtPinch of flaky sea saltSmall bunch of Muscat grapes (or any good quality red grape)Extra-virgin olive oil2-3 sprigs of thymeGood quality baguette (go for a thinner, dense baguette rather than the large spongy type) Small handful of dill leaves, pickedRunny honey METHOD1 Line a bowl with cheesecloth or muslin.2 Stir a sprinkle of salt into the yogurt and mix. Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth or muslin, and tie by gathering the edges into a knot.3 Use a wooden spoon to hang the mixture over the bowl, with enough space for the liquid to drip into the bowl. Leave the yogurt to hang in a cool pace for at least 10 hours, overnight is best – just remember to refrigerate it at night.4 Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/ Gas Mark 5.5 Slice the baguette into rounds about the thickness of a £1 coin. Brush each side with olive oil and season with salt. Bake until golden and crispy – around 10 minutes (turning over the rounds halfway through).6 Scatter the grapes on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Add the thyme and roast for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven – you want them to have held their shape but started to break down.7 Discard the thyme and set aside.

'Make sure the outside of the beef is well seared and the middle rare and serve on a platter for everyone to help themselves.' Serves: 8 INGREDIENTS 1.2 kg centre cut beef llet2 sprigs of rosemary, roughly chopped 2-3 large cloves of garlicOlive oilFlaky sea salt and pepper METHOD1 Using a pestle and mortar, break down the garlic with a sprinkle of salt. Add the rosemary leaves, discarding the stalks. Turn into a rough paste.2 Rub the paste over the beef and season well. Cover with cling film, place on a baking tray and let the beef rest in the fridge for at least six hours – overnight is best. Take out of the fridge and bring up to room temperature. 3 Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/ Gas Mark 6.4 Add a few tablespoons of oil to a roasting tray and place over a medium to high heat on the stove. Add the beef. Sear for 11⁄2-2 minutes on each side until well-browned all over. Transfer the tray to the oven and cook for 18 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium. Remove from the oven. Let the beef rest for at least 15 minutes on a chopping board. Slice and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

'I love to start any festive party with a negroni, it's always a crowd-pleaser. Serve with a slice of blood orange when in season.' Makes: 4 INGREDIENTS 100ml good quality gin100ml red vermouth100ml Campari (or another bitter spirit) 1 tsp pink peppercornsJuice of 3-4 clementines, plus 1 extrafor garnishing1-2 sprigs rosemary, plus extra for garnishingSparkling wine and ice for serving METHOD1 Mix together the gin, vermouth, Campari, peppercorns, juice and rosemary in a jug or jar, cover and allow this to infuse in a cool place overnight.2 When you are ready to make your negronis, take out the rosemary and fill four glasses with ice. Pour the mixture over the ice, saving a bit of room totop with sparkling wine.3 Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a half-round of clementine.

Serves: 8 INGREDIENTS 1kg sprout tops50g good quality butter 100g hazelnutsSalt and pepperSqueeze of lemon juice Dash of apple cider vinegar METHOD1 Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/ Gas Mark 4. Roast the hazelnuts on a baking tray for 5-10 minutes; when they are golden brown, remove from the oven. Once cool, roughly chop and set aside.2 Bring a pan of salty water to the boil (add more salt than you think you need).3 Prepare the sprout leaves: remove any coarse, tough leaves, trim the stalks and wash. Roughly tear any larger leaves.4 Cook the sprout tops in the salted water for 4-5 minutes, drain in a colander, then very gently squeeze out any excess water.5 In a frying pan over a medium heat, melt the butter, waiting until it is browned and giving off a nice nutty smell. Then whisk in the lemon juice and the cider vinegar.6 Add the sprout tops to the pan and fold into the buttery sauce. Toss in three-quarters of the hazelnuts, making sure each sprout top is well-coated with the butter and hazelnuts. 7 Transfer to a serving dish and scatter over the remaining hazelnuts. Taste and season.

INGREDIENTS 1.5kg new potatoes (pick the smallest you can) 6 cloves of garlic, skin on2 sprigs of rosemaryFlaky sea salt Olive oilDill and mustard cream: 6 tbsp Dijon mustard1 tbsp red wine vinegar Pinch caster sugar2-3 tbsp chopped dill1⁄2 lemon zest100g sour cream50g thick Greek yogurt Sea salt and pepper METHOD1 Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/ Gas Mark 6.2 Put a salted pot of water on to the boil and add the potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, until cooked through. Drain the potatoes, return to the pot and cover with a lid to allow the potatoes to steam dry. When dry, lightly squash each potato in the palm of your hand. Line a roasting tin with parchment paper, pop in the potatoes, drizzle over plenty of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well.3 Lightly crush the garlic cloves whole, add the rosemary sprigs and the crushed garlic to the roasting tin. Roast for 30-35 minutes, toss the potatoes and turn the roasting pan in the oven halfway through.4 In the meantime, make the dill and mustard cream. Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl and taste. If you like more zing, add some lemon juice – adjust to your taste buds. Season and set aside.

"This recipe is based on one of my favourite puddings at Gjelina, the 'New American' restaurant in LA. You can make the custards up to four days in advance."Serves: 8 INGREDIENTSButterscotch pots:9 egg yolks, at room temperature 250g dark brown sugar6 tbsp unsalted butter850ml heavy cream1 tsp sea salt1⁄2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1⁄2 tsp vanilla bean paste Salted caramel sauce:60g best quality unsalted butter 40g so light brown sugar45g caster sugar105ml double cream3⁄4 tsp sea saltTo serve:250g good quality crème fraîche Redcurrants METHOD1 Preheat oven to 160C°/Fan 140°C/ Gas Mark 3.2 In a large pan over a medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar andstir until dissolved and bubbling, about 4-5 minutes. Carefully whisk in the cream and continue stirring. Add the salt and vanilla. 3 In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Then, very slowly, whisk in the hot cream mixture. Strain the custard through a ne mesh sieve into a jug. Pour the mixture into eight oven-proof small glasses or ramekins, place in a roasting pan and pour in boiling water about halfway up the sides. Cover the tin with foil and bake for 1 hour, turning the tin after 30 minutes. Bake until custards are set but still a little wobbly. Cool for 2-4 hours (or up to four days) in the fridge. 4 To make the sauce, melt the butter and sugars in a small heavy-based pan and leave to simmer for 3 minutes– don't stir until the mixture is bubbling and has turned brown. Carefully whisk in the cream, then add the salt. Set aside. 5 To serve, bring the pots up to room temperature and add a dollop of crème fraiche. Warm the sauce over a gentle heat and then transfer to a jug.