WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE READY BY NOW

— It’s worth making a really good chicken stock. Freeze in 500ml batches.

— Breadcrumbs can be made and frozen for the bread sauce and stuffing.

— Leek soup can be made and frozen.

Expert View

Having a freezer to store garden produce is much more eco-friendly than not having one

Anna Shepard

Related Links

• Christmas food special

• The perfect Christmas roast turkey

• Do-on-the-day Christmas pud

— The stuffing balls can be half cooked and frozen.

— The trifle sponge can be frozen.

— The Christmas pudding can be made any time, though it can also be made on the day.

DECEMBER 23

— Mulled-wine jelly and cranberry sauce can be made.

CHRISTMAS EVE

— Double-check that you have everything you need for the next day.

— Chop parsley, wrap in clingfilm, chill.

— If serving trifle, make the custard and chill, covered.

— If serving trifle – and not already made – bake the sponge.

— If serving Christmas pudding, make the orange crème fraîche, cover and chill.

— Make your chosen stuffing or defrost the stuffing balls in the fridge, if frozen.

— Defrost the soup in the fridge.

— If stuffing your turkey, do it today.

— Work out the cooking times of everything tomorrow. It is important to do this when feeling calm and relaxed, as it is easy to miscalculate when distracted by presents and guests.

— Write out a fresh timetable for tomorrow.

— If serving Christmas lunch, as opposed to dinner, it is quite relaxing to prepare some of your raw vegetables on Christmas Eve. Carrots can be peeled and cut into batons, sprouts can be washed and trimmed – store both in ziplock bags. Potatoes can be peeled, cut into chunks and stored in a bowl of cold water.

THE BIG DAY

— While the kitchen is quiet and calm, make the Christmas pudding (if you haven’t done so already).

— Take the turkey out of the fridge 2 hours before you want to cook it.

— Defrost the chicken stock for gravy and for the carrot or pea recipe.

— Defrost the sponge for the trifle.

— Preheat the oven and roast your turkey according to your calculations. Remember that you will need to remove the turkey from the oven and prepare the gravy before you sit down to your starters – the turkey should be out of the oven about 45 minutes before you want to eat it. Prepare any remaining vegetables now, so they are ready to be cooked.

Peel potatoes and cover in water. Peel carrots, sauté the shallots and garlic, add the raw carrots – but don’t cook. Chop the herbs. Parboil the parsnips and prepare for roasting. Sauté the bacon for the peas, trim the spring onions, lettuce and so on. Parboil the potatoes, ready for roasting.

— If serving trifle, dice and macerate the fruit.

— Infuse the milk for the bread sauce.

— Prepare melon, but don’t dress.

— Organise others to clear up the kitchen. If you feel a sense of panic welling up, set about cleaning, wiping surfaces and putting away anything you don’t need. Then sit down, relax and remember that timetables aren’t everything and it really doesn’t matter if you’re running a little late.

THE FINAL HOUR

— Thirty minutes before the turkey is removed from the oven, add the potatoes. These will continue to roast once you turn up the temperature in the oven after taking out the turkey.

— Twenty minutes before the turkey is removed, add the parsnips.

— If there is room, slip in the pork and apple stuffing.

— Finish the bread sauce.

— Prepare the sprout purée.

— Once the turkey is removed from the oven, turn up the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 (180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 if fan-assisted), to speed up and finish off your roast vegetables, sausages and/or stuffing balls.

— Add the pork and apple stuffing (if it is not already in the oven).

— Add the chestnut stuffing balls.

— Add the sausages (if they are not already in the oven).

— Heat soup, if serving.

— Make the gravy.

— Cook the carrots or peas with bacon.

— Plate up the starter – serve soup with crème fraîche and chives, dress the melon or prepare a smoked-salmon plate. Serve the first course.

— Get someone to carve the turkey and serve the stuffing while you reheat and transfer the gravy, bread sauce and vegetables to serving dishes. Enjoy the second course.

— Assemble the trifle, turn out the jellies or place pudding plates and orange crème fraîche on the table.

— Warm the brandy in a small pan. Turn the pudding out and, just before you take it to the table, pour over the brandy, set it alight and march in.

— Make sure you wrap and refrigerate all leftovers for tomorrow. Let everyone else clear up and wash up. Relax for the rest of the holidays.

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