In the One Dish Christmas special, chef and author Yotam Ottolenghi cooks Andi Oliver one of his favourite festive feasting dishes - a stunning platter of roasted aubergine drizzled with sunshine yellow saffron-infused yoghurt and jewel-like pomegranate seeds. It’s technically a side dish, yes. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be a stand-alone thing of beauty.

How does it fit in alongside the traditional Christmas bird with all the trimmings that his husband and kids adore, or a more vegetable-focused New Year’s Eve spread for friends and family? Yotam reveals all.

Andi and Yotam discuss how they approach catering their family Christmases and what the spice trade has to do with the Essex town of Saffron Walden, and Yotam reveals a game-changing tip for getting that perfect, melt-in-the-mouth texture and those caramelised edges when roasting aubergine.

Also, Kimberley Wilson explores the unexpected benefits of a Yuletide banquet - find out why attending the office Christmas lunch might actually be good for society as a whole.

Food Scientist: Kimberley WilsonFood Historian: Neil ButteryProducer: Lucy DearloveExecutiveProducer: Hannah MarshallSound Design: Charlie Brandon-KingAssistant Producer: Bukky FadipeCommissioning Producer: Lynda Davies

A Storyglass production for BBC Radio 4