From gammon to a zesty roast chicken, dazzle your tastebuds this festive season with these three delicious roast recipes.  

Lemony roast chicken with gravy 

Serves 8 // Preparation and cooking time 2 hours

Ingredients  

20g thyme sprigs
220g butter, at room temperature
30g parsley, roughly chopped
4 lemons
2 tsp ground cumin
2 × 1.2kg chickens
Salt and pepper
1.5kg baby potatoes, halved
8 large onions, peeled
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp Maizena
⅓ cup water 

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Strip the leaves from half of the thyme sprigs. Combine with 200g butter, parsley, the zest of two lemons, the juice of one lemon and cumin. Rub this mixture over the surface of the chickens. Season.
3. Season the cavities and stuff each with half of the remaining thyme and one lemon, halved. Place on baking trays, along with the potatoes and six of the onions, quartered. Roast in the oven for 25–30 minutes until the skin turns golden and crisp.
4. Turn down the temperature to 160°C and cook for another 40 minutes. Then remove from the oven and cover in foil to rest for 10 minutes.
5. Finely dice the remaining two onions and fry them with the rest of the butter in a pot over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant.
6. Pour the white wine into the pot to deglaze (create a gravy) and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the chicken stock, the zest and juice of one lemon, four of the roast onion quarters and any juices from the roasting trays.
7. Using a hand blender, blitz the gravy until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the Maizena with the water. Add this mixture to the gravy. Bring to a boil and simmer until the Maizena has cooked out and the gravy has thickened. Season.
8. Carve the chicken and serve with the gravy, roast baby potatoes and roast onions.

Glazed gammon with roasted apples  

Serves 8 // Cooking time 2 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients 

For the gammon 

2kg boneless gammon
3 onions, halved
4 carrots, roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 L apple juice
½ tbsp cloves  

For the glaze  

½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup treacle sugar
3 Tbsp English mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cinnamon 

For the trimmings 

6 apples
2 tbsp butter
175g pomegranate seeds
Bay leaves, optional 

Method 

For the gammon 

1. Add the gammon, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns to a large pot.
2. Pour over the apple juice and top up with water until the gammon is covered.
3. Bring to the boil over high heat. Then, reduce to a simmer and cook for an hour and 45 minutes.
4. Remove the gammon from the liquid. Cool slightly.

For the glaze 

1. Whisk all the ingredients and season with salt.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line the bottom and sides of a baking tray with foil.
3. Remove the netting from the gammon (if applicable) and cut away the skin, leaving as much fat as possible. Score a criss-cross pattern in the fat. Stick a clove in the middle of each diamond.
4. Brush half of the glaze all over the gammon and place on the prepared tray.
5. Roast for 10–15 minutes, until golden and crispy, basting with more glaze.

For the trimmings 

1. Halve some of the apples and cut the others into wedges.
2. Melt the butter in a pan. Fry the apples, flesh-side down, for 2–3 minutes, until golden.
3. Arrange on a lined baking tray. Brush with the remaining glaze. Roast for 10–15 minutes.
4. Decorate your glazed gammon with roasted apples, pomegranate and bay leaves.

Roast lamb with garlic and tomato sauce 

Serves 8 // Cooking time 3 hours

Ingredients  

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2kg leg of lamb, on the bone
10g rosemary, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
Salt and pepper
1 garlic bulb, halved
8 Roma tomatoes, quartered
4 pickling onions, peeled and halved
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
10g thyme leaves
2 tsp sugar 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Rub the oil on to the leg of lamb and sprinkle on the rosemary. Season.
3. Place one half of the garlic bulb on a baking tray. Top with the lamb and cover with foil. Roast in the oven for 60–75 minutes, or until the centre of the meat reaches 58°C. Remove from the oven and allow to rest, still covered, for 15 minutes.
4. Place the tomatoes and pickling onions on another baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Peel the remaining garlic cloves and add to the tomatoes, along with the thyme. Season. Roast for 30 minutes.
5. Place half of the roast tomatoes, onions and garlic in a pot and blitz with a hand blender until smooth. Put the pot over medium heat and add the sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and season.
6. Slice the lamb and serve with the garlic and tomato sauce, remaining roast tomatoes, onions and garlic, garnished with rosemary.

The post 3 showstopping festive roasts to feast on appeared first on MyKitchen.

’Tis the season for show-stopping meals. What better way to impress your friends and family than a roaring roast? Here are five decadent and delicious roast recipes to prepare this festive season. 

Cranberry and balsamic roast chicken 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients 

For the marinade 

¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup orange juice
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp thyme, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, grated  

For the roast chicken 

1 whole chicken
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, sliced
½ onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sprigs rosemary
1 cup chicken stock 

To Serve 

2 sweet potatoes, cut into cubes and roasted  

Method 

For the marinade 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large, shallow dish.

For the roast chicken 

1. Place the chicken in the marinade, spooning all over the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve the marinating liquid. Put the chicken in the centre of an oiled roasting tin lined with lemon slices.
3. Stuff the onion, garlic and rosemary inside the cavity of the chicken, pour over the chicken stock and brush some of the marinade on top of the chicken. Roast for about an hour until cooked through.
4. While the chicken roasts, put the remaining marinade in a pot over medium heat. Simmer for 5–6 minutes until slightly thickened and use this to baste the chicken during roasting.
5. Carve the cranberry and balsamic roast chicken to your liking and serve with roasted sweet potatoes.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen  

Looking for ideas to use the leftover chicken? Make these yummy spicy chicken with pea patties the next day! 

Pistachio and rosemary leg of lamb 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 2 hours 

Ingredients 

150g (± ½ loaf) ciabatta, torn into pieces
100g pistachios
75ml olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
2 bulbs garlic, 1 peeled and crushed, 1 halved
10g rosemary
5g flat-leaf parsley
5g origanum
Zest of 1 lemon
Sea salt flakes and black pepper
2kg leg of lamb, on the bone
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 onions, peeled and quartered
1L vegetable stock 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. To make the stuffing, place the ciabatta pieces, pistachios, oil, crushed garlic, half of the rosemary (leaves only), parsley, origanum, lemon zest, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper in a food processor. Blitz until all the ingredients are roughly chopped and well combined.
3. Make an incision along the back of the leg of lamb, down the bone, to create a pocket. Put the stuffing inside and secure with string to keep it from falling out.
4. Place the lamb in a roasting tin with the halved garlic, carrots, celery and onions.
5. Pour the stock into the tin, drizzle a little extra oil over the lamb and season. Tuck the remaining rosemary under the string.
6. Roast in the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender and cooked through.
7. Carve, drizzle the pan juices over the lamb and serve.

Also read:  Slow cooked lamb pizzas 

Roast beef with lemony-sage roast potatoes and glazed carrots 

Serves 6–8 // Cooking time 2 hr 35 minutes 

Ingredients

For the roast beef 

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chopped rosemary
2 Tbsp chopped thyme
5 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2.25kg silverside beef 

For the dressing 

¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
4 Tbsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Handful sage, finely chopped
Handful parsley, finely chopped  

For the lemon and sage roast potatoes 

8 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
4 sage leaves, bruised
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp dried origanum
½ tsp garlic powder
½ cup vegetable oil
2 lemons, cut into wedges  

For the glazed carrots
 

500g baby carrots
2 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup honey
1 Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Handful fresh sage, to serve (optional)  

Method 

For the roast beef  

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Combine the mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, herbs and 4 tbsp olive oil together in a bowl. Rub half of the mixture over the meat.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a pan over high heat. Once oil is smoking, sear the meat for 2–3 min on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a roasting tray and roast for 40 min.
4. Switch the oven to grill. Remove the meat from the oven and spread over the remaining mustard rub. Return to the oven and grill for about 10 minutes, until the top is browned. Remove, lightly cover with foil, and rest for 20–30 min.

For the dressing 

Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and season.  

For the lemon and sage roast potatoes  

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and par-cook the potatoes for 10 minutes, until just tender. Drain.
3. Toss the potatoes, sage, lemon zest, dried origanum and garlic powder together in a bowl, then season.
4. Pour oil into a large roasting tray and place in the oven for 10 min.
5. Remove from the oven and carefully add the potatoes and lemon wedges. Roast for 40–45 minutes, tossing every 15 min, or until crispy and golden brown.

For the glazed carrots 

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Toss all the ingredients together. Transfer to a baking tray and roast for about 20–25 minutes, until tender.
3. To serve, carve the roast beef and top with extra sage. Serve alongside crispy lemon and sage roast potatoes and glazed carrots with dressing on the side.

Recipes & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: K-Leigh Siebritz  

Whole roast butternut with rice, carrot and baby marrow 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 3 hours 

Ingredients

For the whole roast butternut  

1 cup basmati rice
1 cup water
½ cup vegetable stock
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1½ Tbsp chopped thyme
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tsp flaxseed
2 Tbsp hot water
½ cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup flour
1 large baby marrow, halved lengthways
1 carrot
1 butternut, halved lengthways and deseeded  

For the vegan gravy  

¼ cup vegan margarine
½ onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp soy sauce  

Method  

For the whole roast butternut  

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Bring the rice, water and stock to the boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Strain and stir in the chopped herbs.
3. Add some oil to a pan over medium heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the rice and season to taste.
4. Whisk flaxseed and water.
5. Mix together the flaxseed, rice, cranberries and flour, until everything is fully incorporated.
6. Scoop out the flesh from the baby marrow, leaving a 5 mm border. Trim the carrot to fit inside one half of the baby marrow.
7. Scoop enough flesh from one half of the butternut to fit the baby marrow with the carrot inside. Fill the other baby marrow half with the rice stuffing and sandwich on top of the carrot.
8. Scoop enough flesh from the other half of the butternut to fit the remaining rice stuffing.
9. Prick the butternut flesh all over with the fork and secure the two halves together with kitchen string.
10. Brush with oil, wrap in foil and roast for 1 hour, until tender. Allow to rest inside the foil for 20 minutes before carving.

For the vegan gravy  

1. Melt the margarine in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
2. Add the flour and fry, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the stock and soy sauce and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.
3. Strain and season to taste.

Recipe & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Gareth van Nelson 

Also read: Vegan butternut and cashew nut curry 

Ginger-braised pork roast with baby marrow 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 2 hours 50 minutes 

Ingredients 

For the pork roast  

10 cm ginger, grated
2 lemongrass stalks, grated
1 Tbsp tomato paste
3 Tbsp soy sauce
4 carrots, chopped
1 pork knuckle
2 cups cider
½ cup roughly crushed ginger biscuits  

For the baby marrow veggies  

2 Tbsp butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced
6 baby marrows, sliced  

Method 

For the pork roast 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Mix together the ginger, lemongrass, tomato paste and soy sauce.
3. Arrange the carrots in the bottom of a deep roasting tray. Place the pork knuckle on top and brush with the lemongrass mixture.
4. Pour the cider into the bottom of the tray, under the knuckle, and cover with foil.
5. Place in the oven and decrease the temperature to 160°C. Roast for 2 hours.
6. Remove the pork from the oven and increase to 180°C.
7. Cut away the top layer of skin on the pork (serve it on the side as pork crackling) and sprinkle with the ginger biscuit crumbs. Roast for another 15 minutes.
8. Set the pork knuckle aside to rest. Add all the remaining ingredients and liquid in the roasting tray to a blender and blend until smooth.
9. Transfer the sauce to a pot and simmer until reduced by half. Set aside.

For the baby marrow veggies  

1. Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the leeks over medium heat until translucent.
2. Add the baby marrow and fry for 3 minutes.

To serve 

Shred the pork and serve on top of the veggies with the carrot sauce.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen  

Also read: Pork and Parmesan tagliatelle 

The post 5 festive roasts to feast on appeared first on MyKitchen.