Darina Allen: The meals in minutes I will be making until the new year 

The pickles and relishes and soups I stock up on so that I can relax over the next few weeks. 

Stocking your store cupboard is the key to easy living between now and new year.

Today, I’m thinking about what to rustle up for the unexpected guests who pop by from time to time over Christmas — or, these days, people we meet up with outdoors. A well-stocked pantry is of course the key:

My brilliant standbys are smoked Irish salmon, tuna, sardines, artisan farmhouse cheeses, pickles and relishes, and frozen and fresh pasta.