You’ve bought your sprouts from Oxford’s Covered Market, now what are you going to do with them? Jaine Blackman has some advice

Christmas dinner is no time for experimenting. The pressure to deliver a tasty meal for all the family can be a bit overwhelming. It’s enough to concentrate on not overdoing the carrots and making sure the gravy’s not lumpy, without throwing new flavour combinations into the equation.

There’s also the question of tradition. We all have memories of bland, tasteless boiled sprouts, only vaguely spherical because they’ve been cooked for almost as long as the turkey, but for some, that’s just as much a part of Christmas as wearing a stupid paper hat, or watching an Only Fools And Horses repeat.

Some traditions, however, just aren’t worth persevering with. A recent survey by BBC Good Food Magazine found 56 per cent of people would quite happily ditch Christmas pudding, with it being the least-favourite part of the festive feast. But you can bet your last hidden sixpence that plenty will still be dishing it up come December 25.

The magazine’s editor, Gillian Carter, says: “Christmas is all about tradition, and many of us love the classic Christmas Day dishes we grew up with. But there’s nothing wrong with creating your own family traditions – and if no one in your family wants Christmas pud, don’t make it just for old time’s sake. Try something new.”

The rich, stodgy dessert is even less popular than Brussels sprouts, with around 40 per cent admitting they don’t like them.

Of course, not liking a particular vegetable is perfectly reasonable, but the odds are stacked against sprouts. They’ve never really been given a fair crack, unlike, say, pigs in blankets, which everyone seems to love.

Cooked properly, there’s no reason sprouts can’t start competing with roast potatoes, which a whopping 95 per cent in the study said were their favourite part of Christmas dinner.

Heston Blumenthal understands that, and says roasties should form the centrepiece of your Christmas Day cooking.

“Work out all your timings to suit,” he says.

“Whatever meat you’re having can be cooked in advance and kept warm, your veg can be reheated, but your roast potatoes can’t.”

Yotam Ottolenghi suggests roasting Brussels sprouts, too. This way, he says, they stay whole, lose none of their flavour through boiling, and are completely delicious.

“Just a little olive oil, salt and pepper, in the oven on 180C for around 25 minutes,” he instructs.

Steaming Brussels is another great way of cooking them. After around eight minutes, so they’ve still got a bit of bite, toss them in a frying pan with butter, some parsley, a little water and some seasoning, and perhaps even a lick of single cream.

On to the carrots. Now you could just boil these in salted water, but why not try vichy carrots, which aren’t much more effort but taste infinitely better?

Into the water – or good chicken stock for extra luxury – add a teaspoon or two of muscovado or molasses sugar, a large knob of butter and a few sprigs of thyme. Cook on a high simmer for about 45 minutes until the liquid has gone and you’re left with soft, slightly sticky, flavoursome carrots.

Happy Christmas.