How to step up your Sunday roast sides

1. Go big on the crumbs

Breadcrumbs add instant crunch. You can make a batch and they’ll keep in an airtight container for weeks; keep them next to your cooker ready to sprinkle over anything and everything. Breadcrumbs also have the ability to take on almost any flavour. Thanks to their neutral taste, you can tailor them to your dish with the type of fat they’re fried in (oil, butter, chicken/beef fat) and the aromatics you stir in (garlic, citrus zest, herbs, spices). And don’t forget nuts – some roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts or flaked almonds add another toothsome textural element.

The recipe: Add 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil to a frying pan over a medium heat. Add a handful of panko breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt. Fry, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs turn deep golden and are very crisp. Flavour with 1 finely grated garlic clove, the finely grated zest of 1 lemon and a pinch of chopped parsley.

2. Dress to impress

Another post-cooking addition to veg, dressings add acidity, sweetness, richness and seasoning. They often get relegated to Salad World, where they’re much needed to make green leaves delicious. They do just as good a job with hot dishes, though – just think about chimichurri with steak or dipping wontons in chilli vinegar.

Dressings can be divided up into their components: fat (usually oil but also cream and nut butters like tahini); acidity (usually citrus juice or vinegar) and any other flavourings (garlic, spices, herbs and so on). Some also contain an emulsifier like mustard, which helps bind together the oil and other liquids. And sweeteners, which can come in the form of honey, maple syrup or simply sugar.

The recipe: Whisk together 2 tbsp tahini, the finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 grated garlic clove, a big pinch of salt, 3 tbsp hot water and a big pinch of sesame seeds for a creamy dressing.

3. Master the marinades

Marinades can impart heaps of flavour to veg, seasoning them inside and out, and even softening them before they go in the oven, making them more tender once cooked. The type of vegetable you’re planning to marinate dictates the marinating time. Hard root veg can be left for up to 24 hours, but anything softer (peppers, beans) is best after 30 minutes. Any longer and veg will start to turn mushy as the acidity and salt break them down.

Top tip: Add oils or fats to vegetables right before cooking them, because oil coats veg with a barrier that other liquids and flavourings struggle to get past. In other words, an oil-based marinade is only ever going to flavour the exterior, whereas you want the salt and the acidity in your marinade to penetrate the vegetables as much as possible.

The recipe: Mix together 1 tbsp Marmite, 1 tbsp honey, a small pinch of salt and a splash of red wine vinegar for an umami marinade.