Instructions: Bring the potatoes to the boil in salted water on the boiling plate cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

Drain off the water cover with a lid and transfer to the floor of the simmering oven for about 30 minutes or until just tender.

Refresh in cold water drain well.

Add the leeks to fresh boiling salted water as above and cook for about 2 minutes then remove from the water with a slotted spoon.

Refresh in cold water then drain well on kitchen paper.

Add the beans to the same boiling salted water and cook as above for about 4 to 5 minutes until al dente.

Drain from the water refresh with cold water then drain well on kitchen paper.

Add the carrots to the same boiling salted water and cook as above for about 5 minutes depending on size until just tender.

Drain from the water refresh in cold water then drain well on kitchen paper.

Add the broccoli sprigs to the same boiling salted water and cook as above for about 2 to 3 minutes until just tender. Drain from the water refresh in cold water then drain well on kitchen paper.

Toss each batch of vegetables individually in a little melted butter and season well.

Arrange in a large flat ovenproof dish and cover tightly with buttered foil.

Place the dish on tbu floor of the roasting oven for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are steaming and you can hear the butter sizzle.

Serve at once.

Dont attempt to keep them hot: they will lose their perfect colour and crispness.

All the vegetables are cooked to perfection ahead even the day before if it suits you. This means that you can wash up all the pans ahead and there is no last minute panic. Keep the vegetables covered in the cool until they are needed then blast with heat in the roasting oven until piping hot but not re cooked. Vary the vegetables as you wish. Do potato mash instead of new you like. Pureed vegetables eg celeriac carrot and swede do well and red cabbage is delicious too.

To save having too many pans of boiling water I remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and re use the same boiling water.

Serves 6

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