From Christmas gifting to big-day leftovers, Jamie Oliver has it covered with his festive recipes

HE’S the hero of family mealtimes, so it’s no surprise that chef Jamie Oliver has so many tricks up his sleeve for surviving the festive season.

His latest cookbook Simply Jamie: Fast & Simple Food (£30, Penguin Michael Joseph) is full of the fast and the fabulous – including these two lovely leftovers recipes.

They are great for using up cheese and random veggies you have in the fridge, as well as any unused bread sauce.

And if you still have some gifts to sort for friends and family, why not get into the festive mood by making Jamie’s chilli jam and whoopie pies?

With a touch of pretty ribbon or a lovely festive tin for the bakes, they will be the perfect gift for anyone hosting your this season.

For more festive recipe inspiration, you can also head to Jamie’s Christmas Hub at Jamieoliver.com/recipes/christmas.

EDIBLE GIFTING

Air Fryer Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

Makes 12
Prep time 28 mins, plus 1 hr chillling
Cooking time 12 mins
Cals 283
Sat fat 8.3g

Ingredients
*100g white chocolate
*1 orange
*165g full-fat cream cheese
*85g unsalted butter
*100g stem ginger balls in syrup
*200g self-raising flour
*100g golden caster sugar
*1tsp each ground cinnamon and cardamom
*1/2tsp bicarbonate  of soda
*200g carrots
*50g pistachios
*1 medium  egg

Method:

1 For the frosting, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (or melt  in the microwave). Finely grate in half the orange zest, then mix in the cream cheese. Cover, then place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.

2 Melt the butter in a saucepan over  a low heat with a pinch of sea salt and  1tbsp syrup from the stem ginger jar.

3 Whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl.

4 Trim, peel and grate the carrots into the bowl, finely grate in the remaining orange zest, then finely chop and add the pistachios and stem ginger balls.

5 Pour in the melted butter mixture  and mix together, then crack in the  egg, mixing until fully combined.

6 Use two dessert spoons to divide the mixture into 14 balls (roughly golf-ball size), placing them on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper as you go (you can freeze them  at this stage, ready to bake another day, if you like).

7 Lightly oil the air-fryer basket or shelf. Working  in batches, transfer four balls to the air fryer, making sure there’s a 1cm gap between them. Cook at 170°C for 12 minutes (or 15 minutes  from frozen), then carefully remove the air-fryer basket or shelf and leave to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool  while you cook the next batch.

8 Once the cookies are completely cool, sandwich them with the cream cheese frosting.

Chilli Jam

Makes 4 jars
Prep time 10 mins, plus cooling
Cooking time 30 mins
Cals 33
Sat fat 0g

Ingredients:
*10 fresh red chillies
*4 cloves garlic
*2 jarred roasted red peppers
*500g jam sugar
*500ml white wine or cider vinegar
*2 fresh Scotch bonnet chillies

Method:

1 Trim, halve and deseed the red chillies (use rubber gloves to protect your hands, if you like), and peel the garlic cloves, then place in a food processor with the peppers and pulse until finely chopped.

2 Scrape the chilli mixture into a high-sided pan over a medium-high heat, add the sugar and vinegar, then give everything a good stir.

3 Prick the Scotch bonnets with a sharp knife and add to the pan with  1tsp sea salt. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, or until thick, glossy and reduced by half.

4 Pour into sterilised jam jars (leave the Scotch bonnets in if you like it hot, otherwise remove) and store in a cool, dark place until needed.

For more festive recipe inspiration, head to Jamie’s Christmas Hub  at Jamieoliver.com/recipes/christmas.

Edible gifting  recipes © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited, 2024  Photography: © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Ltd, 2024/James Verity, © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Ltd,  2024/Ella Miller  Portrait photography: David Loftus

CHRISTMAS DAY LEFTOVERS

Roasted Veg With Camembert Fondue

Serves 6
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 55 mins
Cals 475
Sat fat 6g

Ingredients:
*3 sweet potatoes (800g total)
*3 mixed-colour peppers
*3 cloves garlic
*Olive oil
*Red wine vinegar
*3 mixed-colour onions
*250g camembert 
*1 French baguette
*1/2 bunch basil

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/gas mark 6. Scrub the sweet potatoes and slice into 11/2cm-thick rounds. Deseed the peppers and slice into chunky wedges. Peel and slice the garlic. Toss it all in a large roasting tray with 1tbsp each of olive oil and red wine vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

2 Halve the unpeeled onions and carefully place cut-side down directly on the bars of the oven, placing the tray of veg beneath. Roast for 45 minutes.

3 Remove the tray from the oven and use tongs to move the onions to a board, then remove the skins, break the onions apart and toss with the veg.

4 Leaving a 1cm rim around the edge, cut the rind off the top of the camembert, then nestle it into the middle of the tray, drizzle with a little oil, season with black pepper and bake for a final 10 minutes, warming the baguette alongside. Pick over the basil leaves, and serve!

Chicken In Baked Bread Sauce

Serves 4
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 50 mins
Cals 691
Sat fat 10.9g

Ingredients:
*1 onion
*600ml whole milk
*2tsp English mustard
*4 small bay leaves
*2 large free-range eggs
*1/2 nutmeg
*2 cloves
*300g white bread
*4 large free-range chicken thighs,  skin on, bone in
*Olive oil
*2 rashers higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4.  Peel, halve and finely slice the onion, place in a 25cm x 30cm roasting tray with the milk, mustard, bay leaves and eggs, finely grate in the nutmeg and cloves, and add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

2 Slice the crusts off the bread and reserve. Tear the middle of the bread into the tray, then really scrunch and mix it all together. Dunk the reserved crusts in the mixture and arrange around the edge of the tray.

3 Rub the chicken thighs with a little salt, pepper and olive oil, then nestle them into the tray, skin-side up. Halve and add the bacon rashers, then roast for 50 minutes, or until golden. Serve with seasonal greens.

Make it veggie!
Break 1 small cauliflower into chunky florets, leaving any nice leaves intact, toss in olive oil, salt and  pepper, and use in place of the chicken and bacon. Grate in 80g cheddar, then cover the tray with tin foil and roast as above, removing the foil halfway through cooking.

Leftovers recipes from Simply Jamie: Fast & Simple Food by Jamie Oliver (£30, Penguin Michael Joseph) out now. Photography: David Loftus