Nigella Lawson enjoys the run-up to Christmas and prepares her Christmas larder in advance. 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.

Nigella cooks roast pumpkin and sweet potato soup with a Stilton swirl, mincemeat pies and her Star from the East, and a lamb and date tagine; all wonderful to eat straight away or to store in the freezer for the arrival of last-minute guests.