Salsiccia with ten herbs

The detailed, complex, ambitious seasonal Christmas meals are still to come.

We've done some sketches but nothing has been ordered yet. We opt for simplicity. Delicious, magical simplicity. The Silver Spoon suggests salsiccia with ten herbs. Off to the market we go, ten herbs, ten euros and five minutes of chatting with Michel, the top man in the vegetable clan.

If you can find fresh salsiccia then good for you. Any decent butcher will have good sausage. Fresh Kielbasa or boudin blanc work fine.

If you can get all these spices out of your own garden then you are doing it right. Rosemary, sage, flat-leaf parsley, thyme, bay leaf, basil, tarragon and marjoram. Plus celery, shallots and white wine. Fry the salsiccia in the pan with a little water for 10 minutes, then add the herbs, vegetables and wine and let it sizzle for another 5 minutes. According to Nigel Slater, you boil your mealy potatoes until half cooked, then drain and shake vigorously with the lid closed. Once. Roast these in a hot oven with a little duck fat until the roughed up edges become golden.