Sarah Butler: How to make the perfect roast potatoes and slow-cooked ham

Save these recipes for your Christmas cooking and try to prepare a little ahead of time for a stress-free day without spending all your time in the kitchen

Sarah Butler's roasties.

Roasties are an all-year-round side that everyone loves. I like to parboil the potatoes, toss them in goose or duck fat, season well and place them in the fridge on a baking tray.

When it is time to cook, they can go straight into a hot oven with the hard work already done. This is a brilliant time-saver at Christmas and frees up hob space too, especially if you prepare them on Christmas Eve. Rosemary is the perfect herb for roasties and I go through so much of it. It is such a lovely herb to cook with.