Brussel Sprouts with Smokey Bacon and Roasted Parsnips

So, you now have the Turkey, the stuffing and the roast potatoes but what about the veg to go with your perfect Christmas dinner? My choice is brussel sprouts with bacon and roasted parsnips. The sprouts can be parboiled the day before and and then covered and stored in the fridge overnight. The roasted parsnips can only be cooked on the day you are going to eat them.

For The Brussel Sprouts

Parboiled brussel sprouts
Streaky smoked bacon
Butter
Oil (vegetable oil)
Salt & black cracked pepper


Method

Place a large frying pan on the heat and a small drizzle of oil. Chop the bacon in to small pieces and add to the pan. Cook the bacon until it is crispy. Add butter to the pan and once it is melted add the parboiled sprouts. Stir and heat through for around 5 minutes. Place the sprouts in to a oven proof dish add a few knobs of butter and cover with foil. Put in a hot oven and cook for around 20 minutes. Serve immediately

Roasted Parsnips

I like a nice chunky parsnip... you can really savour the sweetness and depth of flavour. Just remember that they don’t take that long to cook, so keep an eye on them.

Ingredients

• 2 Knorr Vegetable Stock Cubes
• 120g butter to give you 70g clarified butter (you can also use goose fat or oil)
• 120g butter to give you 70g clarified butter (you can also use goose fat or oil)

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200°C, 180°C fan oven, Gas Mark 6; put your roasting tin in the oven, so that it pre-heats as well.
2. Make your clarified butter: melt the butter in a saucepan and allow to cool. Once the water has evaporated, skim off any solids that float to the surface. Pour the clarified butter into a large bowl, being careful not to include any of the milk solids. This butter can be used to cook at higher temperatures without burning.
3. Peel and cut the parsnips into quarters lengthways. The bigger the parsnip the more flavour there is. Remember, they do shrink down considerably!
4. Add the butter to the Knorr Vegetable Stock Cubes to help them dissolve. The stock adds more flavour than salt.
5. Take the pre-heated roasting tin from the oven, and add in the dissolved stock and butter. Add the parsnips and mix with the seasoning until they are nicely coated.
6. Put into oven and cook for 20-30 minutes (less if you have smaller parsnips) until crisp and golden. Easy.
Healthy Tips:
Substitute 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil for clarified butter.
Reduce your salt intake but to still retain that delicious savoury taste add 1 Knorr Stock Cube rather than 2.

As an added extra here is a video of  Marco Pierre White making roasted parsnips and roast potatoes.