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TUNE IN FOR TIPS TO A STRESS-FREE CHRISTMAS IN NIGELLA'S CHRISTMAS KITCHEN

'Tis the season to be jolly! But many will be feeling the pressure and stress as they prepare that perfect Christmas feast. This month, Domestic Goddess Nigella Lawson shares her secrets for a magical, stress-free Christmas as she works her culinary magic in the new season of NIGELLA'S CHRISTMAS KITCHEN. 

Christmas today still is - to most - a season of traditional cooking, with many hours spent stirring, stuffing and marinating. A godsend to those hard-pressed for time, Nigella shows you how to prepare a Christmas larder in advance and divulges some of her sanity-preserving short-cuts that make even the most routine recipes redolent with Christmas sparkle.

In the brand new season of NIGELLA'S CHRISTMAS KITCHEN,  Nigella reveals tips on how to avoid the Christmas queues and the lure of the jingling tills by getting back to basics. In addition, trips to Paris and Salzburg provide more than a pinch of Christmas inspiration as she livens up traditional Christmas recipes.

NIGELLA'S CHRISTMAS KITCHEN episode descriptions:

The Big Freeze
Cooking at Christmas is a wonderful piece of slow-down therapy but that doesn't mean that you have to be tied to the stove the entire time. Getting ahead and filling the freezer can be the answer to a Christmas prayer. In The Big Freeze, Nigella whips up a feast that includes Roast Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup with a Stilton swirl, Mincemeat pies and her Star from the East, and a Lamb and Date Tagine, which are all wonderful to either eat straight away or to store in the freezer for the arrival of last-minute guests.

The Stocking Filler
Nigella Lawson starts early by filling her shelves with homemade Beetroot and Ginger Chutney, Chilli Jelly, Spiced Fruits steeped in Ximinez Sherry and Winter Spiced Vodka. Nigella also makes her Christmas 'Puddin' Truffles and Christmas cookies, showing that Christmas doesn't have to come off the shelf. Later, Nigella opens her doors to a few friends for a pre-Christmas brunch featuring an Espresso Martini, Triple Cheese and Onion Strata, Glazed and Toasted Vanilla Cake 'Brioche' and an antioxidant Fruit Salad.

Short & Sweet
Nigella enjoys the run-up to Christmas and prepares her Christmas larder in advance. She takes a trip to Paris to explore the chocolate haven of this famous city and, armed with inspiration, she then demonstrates a few sweet recipes including a chocolate rocky road and her favourite Christmas Pavlova. Nigella has a series of short cuts and culinary tips that will transform the familiar Sunday rib of beef into a sumptuous Christmas treat with her port and Stilton sauce. Also on the menu are Thai Beef Salad and Poinsettia Cocktail.

The Unhappy Hour
Although the very idea of canapés seems to scream 1970s, they are always popular with both the host and guests as Christmas entertaining comes underway. In this episode, Nigella offers some simple guides to getting them right. The salty combinations of parma ham, creamy goats cheese and figgy wraps provide a befitting start to Nigella's spicy mini ribs and irresistible crab cakes. For an all-girls-get-together dinner party, Nigella whips up a cinnamon rubbed pousin with a scented couscous. Saving the day is Nigella's never-fail hangover cure - a Cuban Chorizo and Black Bean Soup.

Life in the Old Bird Yet?
In Nigella's mind, most of us would be too hangover to wake up for breakfast and thus Christmas lunch should be the meal to look out for. In this episode, she spruces up an age-old recipe of making turkey with the Domestic Goddess's twist. Nigella shares her tips of cooking a turkey that will have your guest go, gobble gobble - one that is superbly spiced and juicily roasted. To go with it, Nigella adds Pancetta and Chestnut Sprouts, Gingerbread Stuffing, Maple Syrup Parsnips, and finishes off with a vodka-flamed Christmas Pudding.

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