Part two of MR PORTER’s course-by-course guide to a delicious festive feast.

For the next instalment in our series of festive recipes from acclaimed chefs, we’re focusing on an element of the Christmas feast that’s often overlooked. Yes, you might have lovingly brined your turkey on Christmas Eve, or splashed out on a ham from your local butcher, but the vegetables served alongside are just as important. Nobody wants to eat lacklustre steamed sprouts or undercooked parsnips, so this year, show the veg as much consideration as the main event.

To help take your sides from so-so to being worthy of second helpings, we turned to Mr David Gingell, co-founder of three coveted London restaurants: Westerns Laundry, Primeur, and the newly opened Jolene. The focus at all three, says Mr Gingell, is on, “ingredient-led cooking. Nothing more complicated than that.” From a daily-changing menu scrawled on the blackboard (and shared on the three sites’ Instagram accounts), choose from lamb shoulder with soft polenta and onions at Westerns; curried mussels at Primeur; or handmade pappardelle with duck ragu at Jolene.

Mr Gingell has shared his go-to recipe for honeyed ginger carrots. “For me, the sides you do for Christmas dinner should be as good, if not better, than the protein element,” he says. The carrots are slow-roasted with fragrant coriander seeds, fresh ginger and honey, until they’re soft and tender inside, with their skins burnished golden brown and a sticky glaze. “It’s important at Christmas to go traditional when it comes to flavours,” says Mr Gingell. “You don’t want to start adding ingredients like lemongrass or chilli. Warmer spices, though – such as ginger and coriander seeds – are welcome. They add acidity to the dish, which helps cut through the fattiness of goose or duck.”

In such a simple recipe, Mr Gingell recommends paying close attention to sourcing. “As with all cooking, the end result is only as good as the ingredients you have, so buy the best you can,” he says. “If they taste good raw they will be delicious cooked, for sure. We get our carrots from Flourish farm in Cambridge.”

The secret to a panic-free big day? Mr Gingell says it’s crucial to take a pared-back approach. “To reduce stress on the day, be selective, and don’t cook many things,” he says. “This recipe is pretty simple, and you can present it simply, in a big, warmed bowl.” If things get a little tense, “I like to keep myself refreshed with a couple of tins of beer,” he says.

There’ll be a traditional menu on offer in the Gingell household this Christmas. “The first thing I cook is scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, served with Buck’s Fizz,” says Mr Gingell. “It’s the only time of year it’s acceptable to drink it.” For the main event, it’s, “two ducks with all the trimmings.” Not forgetting the chef’s favourite; “pigs in blankets. Little snags wrapped in streaky bacon. What could be better?” For the booze, he suggests, “just drink whatever you enjoy. Of course, it’s always nice to start with a glass of champagne. I’ll be drinking a young red, probably a gamay. The acidity works really well with fatty birds.”

12 medium-sized carrots A drizzle of olive oil Salt and pepper, to season 30 coriander seeds, crushed in a pestle and mortar 80g ginger 3 dstspn honey A splash Moscatel vinegar Zest of one clementine and the juice of half

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Scrub the carrots (don’t peel them) and toss them in a little olive oil with salt and a grinding of pepper. Tip into a roasting tray.

Roast the carrots for about 40 minutes until they are nearly cooked through, then toss in the crushed coriander seeds, a good amount of finely sliced ginger, some honey and a good splash of Moscatel vinegar. Don’t be shy with the vinegar – this will really help balance all the lovely fat of your goose and pigs in blankets.

Return to the oven and continue roasting for a further 10 minutes or so, and finish with clementine zest and juice. Serve in a warmed bowl or platter.