Vegan Nut Roast.
This Winter warmer is perfect if you want to use up all those pesky ingredients that you’ve had lurking at the back of your cupboard since last year, when you were sure you’d use them for a recipe but completely forgot!
This is a great alternative if you’d prefer not to tuck into any meat for your Christmas dinner but still want something substantial on your plate. The sweetness of the chestnuts and apricots contrast beautifully against the savoury and earthy flavours of the vegetables and the zing of lemon just tops it off! Sounds amazing doesn’t it? Just add some roast potatoes and you’ll be packing in the nutrients whilst staying budget-friendly - a complete win-win in our eyes!
RECIPE
Makes: 1 Nut Roast
Time to Make: 60 minutes
Difficulty Rating: More effort needed
INGREDIENTS
300g mixed nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans
1 vegan-friendly vegetable stock cube
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
15g vegan butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced (around 100g prepared weight)
2 carrots, coarsely grated (around 150 prepared weight)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
180g cooked chestnuts, broken into small pieces
75g dried apricots
20g bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 lemon, finely grated zest only
4 tbsp milk alternative (we used oat)
1 tsp sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
For the tomato sauce (optional)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 sprig rosemary
400ml passata
METHOD
Put the nuts and stock cube into a food processor and blitz on the pulse setting until chopped into small pieces, but not fully ground or you can chop all the nuts as finely as you can if you don’t have a food processor.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Lightly oil then line the base of a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking paper.
Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan on a medium heat and gently fry the garlic, onion, celery, leek and carrots for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.
Tip into a mixing bowl and add the chopped nuts, chestnuts, apricots, parsley, lemon zest, dairy-free milk and salt. Season with lots of ground black pepper and stir until thoroughly mixed.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Press down with a spoon firmly to compact the mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes, or until the loaf is lightly browned.
Remove the tin carefully from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before loosening the edges of the loaf with a table knife and turning out onto a
board or platter. Cut into thick slices and serve hot with the tomato sauce (if you choose to make) or vegan gravy as another option.
7. Meanwhile if you do choose to make the sauce, gently heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil then add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves and 1 rosemary sprig and cook over a low heat.
8. Pour in 400ml passata, add a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper and simmer gently on a low-medium heat for 15 mins.
Top tip:
If you don’t have dairy-free ingredients and can eat a vegetarian alternative, just use dairy butter and milk and you’ll still have the same tasty result