There won’t be any presents or carols tomorrow, but there will be food and a surfeit of fairylights …

Cranberry Sauce
300g cranberries
zest and juice of an orange
2 dessertspoons sugar

Put all ingredients in a pot, heat gently until the cranberries have burst and the sauce thickens.

Sausage Stuffing
6 large shallots
butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
450g pork sausages, skins removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sage, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
30g soft white breadcrumbs
pepper

Caramelise the shallots with the butter, sugar and balsamic vinegar and leave to cool. Combine with the other ingredients and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes.

Turkey
Roastit Tatties
Roastit Parsnips
Red Cabbage

Pavlova

Invented in New Zealand, no Christmas lunch is complete without a Pav.

4 egg whites
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon cornflour
double cream, whipped
raspberries

Beat egg whites until stiff, then beat in the sugar a little at a time until you have a smooth and glossy meringue. Add the vanilla, vinegar and cornflour. Shape into a circle (about 20cm) on a cold, greaseproof paper-lined, baking tray and bake at 125°C for about an hour (the outside should be just crisp to the touch). Cool and cover with whipped cream and raspberries before serving.