Rachel Roddy’s recipe for red cabbage, apple and chestnut pie with ricotta pastry | A kitchen in Rome

A smooth head of cabbage is much more useful, I think, than a bag of leaves as a quick salad option. With just a bit of shredding, salt and a few scrunches, a quarter of a cabbage becomes a voluminous and bright slaw. It is only slightly more work to pull out the box grater to add a coarsely grated carrot, apple or small amount of fresh horseradish to the shredded heap. Alternatively (and this is a suggestion from the wonderful Margaret Costa), chopped dried apricots, walnut halves and orange segments are extremely nice in a cabbage salad, maybe dressed with olive oil, red-wine vinegar, honey and lemon zest.The Macedonian-British writer Irina Janakievska, meanwhile, has introduced me to the pleasure of grated beetroot with a mass of salted cabbage

Marie Mitchell’s jerusalem artichoke fritters with clementine sauce recipe

For the season that often screams indulgence, I like to search out the light, and these fluffy fritters are a delight that even my toddler will devour. They pair perfectly with the citrus of the moment, but you can easily substitute for other orange varieties, and still get that delicious sweet tang.Serves 4 as starters, or 6-8 as canapésjerusalem artichokes 250g, scrubbed and gratedcarrot 1 medium, peeled and gratedbrown onion 1 small, thinly slicedcornmeal 30g plain flour 70g salt ½ tsp white pepper ¼ tspallspice ¼ tsp all-purpose seasoning ¼ tsp garlic 2 cloves, peeledeggs 2 sunflower oil for fryingseedless clementines 250g, peeled weightghee or unsalted butter 10g lemon juice 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp salt a pinch cornflour 1 tspPlace the grated jerusalem artichokes and carrot, and sliced onion in a mixing bowl.Add the cornmeal, flour, salt and spices, before grating in the garlic and mixing through with a spoon.Whisk your eggs and fold into your bowl with the artichoke mix

Nigel Slater’s recipe for speck and parmesan muffins

If you don’t mind a bit of last-minute cooking, may I suggest you serve these warm? Light, cheesy, rosemary-scented little cakes, they are infinitely more delicious when served from the oven, like their sweet cousin, the madeleine.You could bake them an hour before you plan to eat, keeping them warm in the switched-off oven or, should the oven be busy, wrapped loosely in tin foil still in their baking tin. Ideally, though, they are meant as breakfast muffins, something to serve on Boxing Day morning.Makes 12plain flour 275gcaster sugar 1 tbspbaking powder 2 tspapple 1, medium-sizedeggs 3yoghurt 175mlspeck 200gparmesan 75g, finely gratedTo finishparmesan 1 tbsp, finely gratedrosemary leaves 1 tbsp, choppedpine nuts 2 tbspSet the oven at 180C fan/gas mark 6.Line 12 bun tins with paper muffin cases

Parmesan biscuits recipe by Matt Christmas

We have been making these at Chez Bruce for many years. I think the recipe was originally based on one from the Baker & Spice deli in London – sadly no longer open. The biscuits are best started at least a day before needed as the soft dough needs to firm up in the fridge before slicing and baking.They’re delicious with champagne, dry sherry, or even an off-dry riesling.Makes about 30 biscuitsparmesan 175g, finely gratedunsalted butter 160g, softenedsalt ½ tspbaking powder ¾ tspsmoked paprika ½ tspcayenne ¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper a littleplain flour 200gegg 1, beatennigella, sesame and caraway seeds 60-70g (total weight)sea saltMix together the parmesan, butter, salt, baking powder, paprika, cayenne and black pepper

Mulled cider recipe by Bert Blaize and Claire Strickett

Warming, Christmassy spices work so much better with sharp, mouth-smacking cider than with wine, and the result is less alcoholic, too – ideal for anyone pacing themselves over the long party season.Serves about 20lemons 2clementines 3cinnamon sticks 2 cloves 6 star anise 2 cardamom pods 2, lightly crushed with the flat of a large knifevanilla pods 2, split lengthwaysfresh ginger 50g, finely choppedgood, dry cider 4 litres dark brown sugar 500g, or less, to tastePeel the lemon in large strips, being careful to leave behind as much of the pith as possible. Peel the clementines, reserving the flesh. In a heavy-based frying pan over a very low heat, toast the lemon peel, clementine peel, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom, vanilla and ginger for about 10 minutes, constantly moving everything around in the pan so nothing can catch and burn. Once the aromas of the spices start to fill the air, tip into a bowl and set aside

Georgina Hayden’s build your own blinis recipe

Each topping enough for 16 blinisFor wasabi cream cheese, smoked salmon, shiso cresscream cheese 175g wasabi paste 1 tsp lemon zest and juice of 1 cucumber ¼, finely slicedsmoked salmon 4 slices, each cut into 4salmon eggs a few tbsp, optionalcress a handfulFor garlic and herb mayonnaise, soft boiled egg, olive oil crispsmayonnaise 150g garlic 1 small clove, peeled and finely grateddijon mustard 1 tsp soft herbs ½ bunch, mixed, such as parsley, chives, mint, finely choppedeggs 4 large, room temperaturecrisps small bags of olive oil, truffle, or vinegar flavouredFor creamed feta, piri piri prawns, lemon and parsleyraw king prawns 16, peeledsweet smoked paprika 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried red chilli flakes ½ tsp garlic 2 cloves, peeled and finely gratedlemon zest and juice of 1 feta 200g Greek yoghurt 5 tbsp olive oilflat-leaf parsley a few sprigs, leaves pickedFor the wasabi cream cheese and smoked salmon topping, in a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese with ¾ of a teaspoon of the wasabi paste and half of the lemon juice. Taste, adjust the seasoning to your liking, adding more wasabi if you want more of a punch. Spoon a heaped teaspoon of the mixture on to each blini, then a slice of cucumber, then top with a bite-sized piece of smoked salmon, a few salmon eggs if you are using them and a piece of cress. Squeeze the remaining lemon over all the blinis just before serving.For the egg and mayonnaise topping, bring a small pan of water to the boil