If anyone knows the recipe for dishing up a successful festive feast, it’s Jamie Oliver. Now, in a double helping of Channel 4’s Jamie Cooks Christmas, the popular chef has created two innovative menus to make this year's gatherings with friends and family extra special.
In his opening episode Jamie kickstarts the party season with an array of food that includes crowdpleasing cheesy filo parcels, cauliflower lasagne, chicken, sausage and bacon kebabs, and a sticky toffee coffee pudding. The following week he mixes things up with a fresh twist on tradition when he swaps out turkey for a festive porchetta with all the trimmings.
Here’s everything you need to know about Jamie’s festive extravaganza…
Jamie Cooks Christmas release date
The first episode of twinkly two-parter Jamie Cooks Christmas airs on Channel on Sunday, December 8 2024 at 8pm.
The second episode airs on Sunday, December 15 at the same time. Both episodes will be available on channel4.com.
Jamie Cooks Christmas — episode guide
Episode 1 - Sunday, 8 December 2024
C4 Press have revealed that in the opening episode of Jamie Cooks Christmas: “the talented chef hosts a Christmas party for his family and friends to get the seasonal celebrations underway. First on the menu, he gives salad leaves the party treatment and serves them alongside his Christmas cheesy filo parcels with a tangy cranberry dip. " (Continues below)
“Jamie then treats his guests to a surprising veggie extravaganza with his gorgeous Christmas cauliflower lasagne - one of his many brilliant get-ahead dishes to cook before a celebration. He turns humble root veg into the belle of the winter ball, using the Hasselback technique and flavouring them up with a festive spice rub, paired with the perfect combo of chicken, sausage and bacon party kebabs to get everyone in the party mood! And to top it all off, Jamie whizzes winter-classic walnuts up with Medjool dates and festive spices to make the most deliciously fudgy sticky toffee coffee pudding.”
Episode 2 - 15 December 2024
From C4 Press: "In this episode, Jamie wraps the year up with his family in his outdoor kitchen shed, as he makes a deliciously fresh and zingy smoked trout pâté, served with red cabbage slaw and a giant Yorkshire pudding for sharing - a spectacular way to kick off a Christmas day feast.
"He gives the traditional turkey a run for its money with his show-stopping festive porchetta, crispy root veg and best-ever roast potatoes.
" Jamie takes Brussels sprouts to new heights in his vegetarian main - a fabulous and hearty chestnut and Brussels sprouts pie.
And finally, he finishes everything off with some beautiful seasonal pears, which he gives a Christmas makeover in a mulled wine pear pavlova, adding a flourish of yuletide sparkle to his Christmas menu."
Jamie Cooks Christmas — Q&A with Jamie Oliver
What inspires you when you’re creating festive recipes, Jamie?
“It’s the most wonderful time of year - not just because I love Christmas and the chance to get together with loved ones, but because some of my favourite ingredients are now bang in season. Think root veg, winter leaves like kale, chard and rocket, which naturally taste more bitter in winter and I love when contrasted with sweet, zingy flavours, brussels sprouts, and red cabbage - the king of Christmas veg!”
What elevates red cabbage to royalty for you?
“You can grill, roast, caramelise, braise or slice it into a super-fresh slaw. I’ll be serving up a starter of smoked trout pâté with a giant tear-and-share Yorkshire pud and vibrant raw red cabbage slaw this festive season.”
Can you give us a taster of what else is on the menu across the two programmes?
“I love tradition, but it’s exciting to introduce something a little bit different to the table. I’ve given the traditional turkey a run for its money with my festive porchetta. My sticky toffee coffee pudding is the lovechild of sticky toffee pudding and coffee and walnut cake. I’ve also put together a chestnut brussels sprouts pie, cauliflower cheese lasagne, and hot, oozy cheese parcels with a winter salad, tossed with a bright clementine dressing.”
What’s your advice for taking the stress out of Christmas cooking?
“Planning ahead is absolutely key. You can make delicious food that will surprise and amaze your guests without the chaos. My mulled wine pear pavlova looks super extravagant, but all the elements can be made ahead and assembled at the last minute. Throughout the show I try to give as many pointers as possible, so you can enjoy the day a whole lot more.”
Are there easy ways to keep costs down?
“Buy British fruit and veg that’s in season as they’ve not had to travel across continents to get to the shop or market. I’d really recommend looking around to see what you can find. If you can’t afford pork loin for my porchetta, then you can absolutely use pork belly and get the same delicious results. I’m also a big fan of using up my cheeseboard in lasagnes, pastas, sandwiches and toasties and not wasting a thing.”
What’s the secret to making the most of the ingredients on offer at this time of year?
“We often think of winter as a bleak time for the British garden, but root vegetables such as potatoes, celeriac and beets are at their best right now. Parsnips are one of my favourites and I share plenty of tips to get the most out of this wonderful veg. Slicing them hasselback-style and roasting them not only makes them super crisp, but it also helps them to take on whatever seasonings, rubs or marinades you put on them – it really ramps things up on the flavour front.”
Do you have any tips for the perfect roast potatoes?
“I like to gently half-squash my potatoes when they’ve been in the oven for an hour or so – it’s game-changing how crispy they get. This year, I’m going to parboil my spuds in chicken stock as it makes them taste even better. I’d really recommend it. Plus, you can use that lovely starchy stock to make your gravy, it’s win-win!”
Finally, other than food, what are your favourite things about Christmas?
“It’s all about family and getting everyone together. River, my youngest, is at that age when everything is still completely magical. We’ll put mince pies and carrots out for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve and he loves decorating the tree, and that’s just wonderful to be around.”
Behind the scenes and more on Jamie Cooks Christmas
Jamie Cooks Christmas is the conclusion to the chef’s year-long project to cook the kitchen calendar using seasonal ingredients. Information on previous installments can be found below. All episodes are available to watch on channel4.com
Jamie: What to Eat this Week (Spring)
