A little drizzle lifts every dish. Just don’t do it last-minute

After cooking her way through to the final of MasterChef, former Scotland rugby union captain Jilly knows a thing or two about keeping calm under pressure – which will come in handy when she cooks for 19 people this Christmas Day.

“Getting as much done as possible the day before is crucial,” explained the history teacher.

“Start by getting all your vegetable prep done the day before.

“Cook your veg on the stove then put into ice-cold water to keep them fresh, and cover until the next day.

“Then all you need to do is heat through or add the extra ingredients, such as bacon or chestnuts. I usually do a braised red cabbage with cranberries, which is easily done the day before.

“Once your meat is cooked, I would recommend taking it out to rest for an hour or more, covering in foil and tea towels. It keeps its heat for a long time, and leaves more space in the oven for finishing off roast potatoes and any other sides.”

Whether cooking at home or for a panel of celebrity judges, Jilly admits she has one key ingredient, which always lifts her dishes and adds more flavour, and she might not opt for the traditional turkey.

She said: “One of my secret ingredients I always use is truffle oil. It’s not as expensive as buying truffles, but it still lifts the flavour of so many dishes. For example, if you’re doing roast parsnips, a drizzle of oil over the top gives a lovely earthy flavour.

“People often think of lamb as an Easter dish, but it can be a great alternative to turkey at Christmas, too. It’s a very luxurious meat.

“I love a Scotch Lamb shoulder, cooking it really slow. It’s a little bit cheaper than a leg joint and it will go really far with leftovers, too.”