Lauraine Jacobs

Roast Rack of Spicy Lamb with Aubergine Relish

Rack of lamb is a great solution for a dinner party. It looks elegant, it cooks quickly, and the little cutlets are carved easily. This recipe spices up the lamb, which should be served in a very simple manner. No extra, fussy sauces or arrays of veges, just the delicious melt-in-the-mouth aubergine relish that is so subtly spiced.

Roast Turkey with Two stuffings.

Two delicious stuffings make this turkey very festive: dried pear, sausage and herb stuffing for the main cavity, and an oyster and bacon stuffing for the small area by the breast. In our home chipolatas and bacon rolls are now traditional accompaniment to the Christmas turkey. You can roast them the turkey and serve them on the side – the children will love them.

Roasted Poussins with Lemon

Another simple recipe with poussins. They are roasted with a topping of breadcrumbs, lemon, butter and parsley, and served French-style with buttered green beans.

When you’re buying poussins, bear in mind the largest poussins available weigh 385g to 445g, and this size is worth seeking if you wish to split them in two. If you can get only the tiniest birds (225g to 350g) you will need a whole bird per person.

Saffron Rice

Everybody who eats my saffron rice wants the recipe. It is one of the shining stars and the staple of my own repertoire of recipes. Cook this rice in a heavy oven dish such as a Le Creuset casserole for best results.

Saffron-poached Pears

I’m a fan of the small but growing saffron industry in New Zealand. I think about the painstaking care that goes into plucking those tiny precious stamens from each flower and marvel at the brilliant yellow hue they bring to food.

Serve these brilliant, shining pears as a simple show-stopper for dessert, accompanied by softly whipped cream or greek-styled yoghurt.