This celeriac and sweet potato dish is a wonderful vegetable accompaniment for the Christmas dinner and you can make it the day before. It is lighter than a gratin because it is cooked in stock. The layered up celeriac, sweet potatoes and onions absorb the stock. I did it on my Christmas TV special earlier in the week and thank you for all your nice comments. We really love making that show each year

For a deliciously different side dish to your Christmas dinner spread, try these brussels sprouts. For people who are not keen on the smell of brussels sprouts, then this recipe will work for you. Trust me. Shallow frying your sprouts like this gives them a whole new depth of flavour that’s like the addictive crispy seaweed (basically cabbage) you get in Chinese restaurants. You could use zest of lemon instead of the preserved lemon, but I think the preserved lemon is that bit special. Plus it keeps well and makes a great Christmas gift for your food-loving friends.

Happy cooking.

Neven Maguire’s Complete Family Cookbook, with 300 life-saving recipes for super busy parents, is published by Gill Books.

Celeriac and sweet potato boulangere

Serves six to 12

2 tbsp Donegal rapeseed oil, extra for greasing

3 onions, thinly sliced (on a mandolin is best)

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs (use a mixture of thyme, rosemary and sage)

2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley

1kg (2 1/4lb) sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (on a mandolin is best)

1 large celeriac, peeled and thinly sliced (on a mandolin is best)

900ml (1 ½ pints) chicken or vegetable stock

50g (2oz) butter, diced

25g (1oz) stale white breadcrumbs (sourdough is best)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 200oC (400oF/gas mark six). Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions, garlic and herbs for 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Season to taste. Layer the potatoes in a large baking dish with the onions and celeriac. Season each layer as you go and finish with an attractive overlapping layer of the potatoes. Pour over the stock and top with knobs of butter.

2 Rub some foil with oil and place it, oil-side down, over the dish and seal tight. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and press the potatoes down with a fish slice. Scatter over the breadcrumbs and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden.

Crispy Brussels sprouts with

preserved lemon and Parmesan

Serves six

3 tbsp rapeseed or sunflower oil

500g (1 1/4lb) brussels sprouts

25g butter, cold and diced

Pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp finely diced preserved lemon (see different recipe or use shop-bought)

3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 Peel off the outer leaves from the brussels sprouts and then slice each one in half.

2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Put the sprouts into the pan, cut-side down, and leave them to sizzle away for 10 minutes without disturbing them.

3 Halfway through cooking, dot over the butter and allow it to sizzle and brown – the sprouts need to be really crispy and dark brown. If they are just lightly brown, carry on cooking them for another five minutes, then turn over and continue to cook for another few minutes until just cooked through and tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife.

4 Remove the sprouts from the heat and season with salt. Then scatter over the lemon preserve and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle over the parmesan and toss again before tipping into a warmed serving dish. Serve at once.

Preserved lemons

Makes 2 x 1.5 litre (2 1/2 pint) Kilner jars

8 lemons

250g (9oz) sugar

200g sea salt flakes

2 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed

1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed

½ tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp black peppercorns

4 long red chillies

4 bay leaves

4 fresh rosemary sprigs

1 Scrub all the lemons clean and then place them in a pan covered with 1.5 litres (2 1/2 pints) of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes until softened.

2 Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lemons to a bowl of iced water to cool them down quickly and prevent them from cooking any further.

3 Add the sugar and salt to the cooking liquid. Remove from the heat and whisk in the spices. Pack the lemons into sterilized Kilner jars and pour over enough of the liquid to cover completely, then push a chilli, bay leaf and sprig of rosemary down the side of each one before sealing tight.

4 Store in a cool place or in the fridge for up to two weeks before using. To use, drain the lemons and finely dice the flesh. CL