Westminster’s tips for a perfect Christmas lunch

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<img decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.politico.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24/GettyImages-2185601680-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5918295" srcset="https://www.politico.eu/cdn-cgi/image/width=1024,quality=80,onerror=redirect,format=auto/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24/GettyImages-2185601680.jpg 1024w, https://www.politico.eu/cdn-cgi/image/width=300,quality=80,onerror=redirect,format=auto/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24/GettyImages-2185601680.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> Kemi Badenoch, Tory chief: Alcohol and butter make every little thing higher. | Sebastein Bozon/Getty Photographs

Steve Reed, setting secretary: I’m barbecuing the turkey this yr, so I can’t let you know but whether or not that’s a prime tip or a complete catastrophe! Aside from that — brining the turkey in a single day massively improves the flavour.

Liz Truss, ex-prime minister: My prime suggestions for the proper roast potatoes — don’t peel them, don’t parboil them and don’t even fear about preheating the oven. Merely reduce them into chunks and put them straight right into a roasting pan lined with olive oil or goose fats and put them within the oven. To make sure the proper crispy exterior, simply give them a superb shake midway via cooking.

Wait, what, pizza?

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI chief govt: With a mix of vegetarians and carnivores within the household, we began a brand new custom of selfmade pizza from scratch for our Christmas meal throughout lockdown and have saved it going. There's nothing just like the odor of rising dough while you come again from a Christmas stroll and all of us get to placed on our favourite toppings collectively.

Mel Stride, shadow chancellor: Mine could be cocktail-related as one in all my proudest possessions is my cocktail cupboard! I might advocate a spiced Negroni for Christmas. Traditional Negroni, however use gin spiced with star anise, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury: My favourite cocktail is a straightforward Negroni — equal measures of gin (ideally Plymouth, infused within the fridge with cinnamon, star anise, cloves and bay leaf for a festive twist), Campari and candy vermouth; stirred with ice and a slice of orange. However my sudden new talent of 2024 has been making mezcal cocktails. Swap out the gin for mezcal for a extra earthy and smoky Negroni, extra becoming for winter than the summery authentic.

David Lammy, overseas secretary: Add a serving of Guyanese pepperpot to the aspect of your Christmas turkey. My aunt bringing this round at all times places our household within the festive temper.