Ready to go beyond turkey? These knockout main dishes from some of the most exciting chefs in Britain range from effortlessly simple to skill-raising. What they have in common is a sense of occasion… Bring one to the table on Christmas Day and we guarantee it will elicit gasps of appreciation

Sally Abé’s brioche & thyme butter-stuffed chicken crown

PHOTOGRAPHS HANNAH HUGHES FOOD STYLING EMILY GUSSIN STYLING VICTORIA ELDRIDGE

Keshia Sakarah’s pernil (Puerto Rican roast pork)

“Pernil is a Puerto Rican slow-roasted pork dish with crispy crackling, of ten served at celebratory meals. It’s commonly marinated in adobo mojado – amix of garlic, oregano, extra-virgin olive oil and sour orange juice – and served with arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) and tostones (twice-fried green plantain)”

KESHIA SAKARAH

ABOUT MITCH Acclaimed restaurateur and chef Mitch Tonks is one of the most respected voices on UK fish cookery. His first restaurant, The Seahorse in Dartmouth, continues to celebrate local seafood, as do his other Rockfish restaurants across the South West. Mitch is also an ambassador for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

“Roasting a whole fish always feels celebratory. A whole turbot like this one will feed four, and easily competes with a good joint of beef or premium turkey on price. For the home cook, it couldn’t be simpler to prepare – Ilike to serve it with rosemary roasted potatoes and a romesco sauce”

MITCH TONKS

Mitch Tonks’ roast turbot with leeks, tarragon and riesling

THIS PHOTOGRAPH: TOBY SCOTT. FOOD STYLING: EMILY GUSSIN. STYLING: TABITHA HAWKINS

Serves 3-4 Hands-on time 20 min Oven time 15-18 min

What better way to celebrate than with the king of fish, the mighty turbot? Mitch Tonks’ whole fish is incredibly quick to cook and has a firm, rich, meaty texture. It’s a serious treat, less pricey than it used to be, and it most definitely brings drama to the table.

BE A BETTER COOK

It’s much easier to fillet a cooked fish than a raw one, and cooking the fish on the bone keeps it moist and beautifully flavourful. Opt for a knife with a longish blade and a bit of flexibility if you have one, and use the bones to guide where you cut – the fillets should slip right off them.

SCALE IT UP

If you have more people to feed, you can double up on turbots or source a larger one from your fishmonger – just increase the cooking time by around 1 minute for every extra 100g of weight.