Nut Roast and the trimmings

Always a favourite for vegetarian guests and popular too amongst meat eaters! 

A moist Nut Roast layered with mushrooms, tomatoes and courgettes. Add your favourite nuts or use a selection of mixed nuts if you prefer.

Ingredients

Nut roast
Oil for greasing
1 stalk celery
1 medium leek
3 tomatoes
1 medium courgette
40g peas
2 cloves garlic
1 large onion
100g mushrooms
125g wholemeal bread
2 medium parsnips
1 x 5ml spoon yeast extract
2 x 5ml spoons vegetable oil
125g mixed white nuts (such as Brazils, cashews, almonds OR pine nuts)
1 small lemon (zest only)
½ x 5ml spoon dried basil
½ x 5ml spoon dried thyme
Black pepper (optional)
2 eggs

Stuffing
200g bread
5 spring onions
50g apricots
50g ready-to-eat dates
20g cashew nuts (optional)
Small bunch (10g) fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme and parsley) OR 1 x 5ml spoon dried mixed herbs
2 eggs
20g unsaturated fat spread
Black pepper (optional)

Vegetables
1 kg potatoes
350g sprouts
300g carrots
1 small swede
1 small red cabbage
1 eating apple
2 x 5ml spoons olive oil
10g unsaturated fat spread
50ml milk
Black pepper (optional)

Gravy
½ reduced-salt vegetable stock cube
1 x 5ml spoon yeast extract
25g unsaturated fat spread
30g plain flour

Equipment

Weighing scales
Loaf tin 25cm x 12cm x 6cm
Pastry brush or kitchen paper
Greaseproof paper
Scissors
Colander
2 x Small bowl
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Clean, damp cloth
Food processer
Large mixing bowl
Vegetable peeler
Measuring spoons
Large non-stick
frying pan
Wooden spoon
4 x Pan stand
Small non-stick frying pan
Foil
Oven gloves
Serrated knife
4 x Serving dish
Medium ovenproof dish
3 x Medium saucepan
Small saucepan

Instructions

Prepare the Nut Roast

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan or gas mark 4.
2. Grease the loaf tin with a small amount of oil and cut a piece of greaseproof paper to line the base.
3. Wash the celery, leek, tomatoes and courgette.
4. Defrost the peas by placing in a small bowl of hot water.
5. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion.
6. Slice lengthwise the celery, leek and courgette and then dice finely.
7. Slice the tomatoes and chop into 3cm pieces.
8. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut into 1cm slices.
9. Prepare the breadcrumbs in the food processer and place in a large bowl. Peel and finely dice the parsnips, then add to the breadcrumbs, together with the yeast extract.
10. Heat 1 x 5ml spoon of oil in the large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 1 minute.
11. Add the garlic, celery and leeks to the pan, stir and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until soft.
12. Add half the softened vegetables to the breadcrumbs.
13. Add the courgettes and tomatoes to the remaining onion and leek mixture in the pan and stir well. Cook for 2–3 minutes over a low heat until soft.
14. Stir in the peas and remove from the heat.
15. In a small non-stick frying pan toast the mixed nuts over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes until slightly browned.
16. Using a chopping board finely chop the nuts and add to the breadcrumb mixture.
17. Grate the lemon zest and add to the breadcrumbs. Add the basil and thyme, add black pepper to taste (if using) and stir well.
18. Beat the eggs separately in 2 small bowls and add 1 to the breadcrumbs. Combine well using a wooden spoon. Add the other to the vegetable mixture.
19. Heat 1 x 5ml spoon of oil in the small frying pan and cook the mushrooms for 1–2 minutes until soft.

Assemble the Nut Roast

1. Press a third of the breadcrumb mixture into the loaf tin.
2. Place half the mushrooms on top of the breadcrumbs and place half the courgette mixture on top of the mushrooms.
3. Place the next third of the breadcrumb mixture on top and press down well.
4. Add the next mushroom and courgette mixture layer, top with the remaining breadcrumbs and press down well into the tin.
5. Cover with greased foil and cook for 50 minutes. Remove the foil after 30 minutes.
6. Allow the roast to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto your serving plate. Slice using a serrated knife.

Prepare the stuffing

1. Place the bread in the food processor and make the breadcrumbs. Finely chop the spring onions, apricots, dates and cashew nuts (if using) and place in a large bowl with the breadcrumbs.
2. Wash the herbs and spring onions. Finely chop the fresh herbs and add to the bowl or add the dried herbs. In a small bowl beat the eggs with a fork and add to the stuffing mix.
3. Melt the spread in one of the saucepans, use to grease the ovenproof dish and mix the rest into the breadcrumb mixture. Add black pepper to taste (if using) and place the mixture in the oven dish. Refrigerate until ready to cook then bake at the same oven temperature as the Nut Roast for 25 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables

1. Wash all the vegetables.
2. Peel the potatoes, cut into 6cm chunks, place them in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Parboil the potatoes over a medium heat for 8 minutes, drain over a colander and place in a roasting tin.
3. Prepare the sprouts by removing the outer leaves and cut a cross into the base of the sprouts using a sharp knife. Place in a bowl.
4. Peel the carrots and swede and dice into 2cmcubes. Place the cubes in a medium pan and cover with cold water.
5. Cut the cabbage into 4 and remove the core. Slice each quarter into 1cm slices, place in a colander and wash.
6. Peel, core and slice the apple for the cabbage and place in a small bowl until required.
7. Combine the potatoes with the oil and roast in the oven for 40 minutes until golden and crisp.

Now cook the vegetables

1. Place a medium pan of water over a high heat, bring to the boil, add the sprouts and cook for 10 minutes until soft when pierced with a fork.
2. Add the sliced cabbage and apple to a pan containing 5cm boiling water, place the saucepan lid on and cook for 8 minutes over a medium heat.
3. Boil the carrot and swede mix over a medium heat for 12–15 minutes until soft. Drain using a colander, retaining the cooking liquid for gravy.
4. Mash the carrot and swede when cooked, add the spread, milk and black pepper to taste (if using). Mix using a fork until smooth. Place in a serving dish.
5. Drain the sprouts using a colander, place in serving dish.
6. Drain the cabbage using a colander and place in a serving dish.

Make the gravy

1. Measure 750ml of the reserved vegetable water into the measuring jug. Crumble in the vegetable stock cube and yeast extract and stir to dissolve. Melt the spread in a small pan and using a wooden spoon stir in the flour to make a paste. Gradually add the stock and simmer until the gravy coats the back of the wooden spoon.
2. Serve your Nut Roast and the trimmings!

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, peeling, chopping, mixing/combining, blending, mashing, boiling/simmering, frying, roasting and baking.

Top Tips

• Nuts are best toasted in this recipe to increase the flavour.
• If there is some liquid in the pan after cooking the vegetable nut roast mixture at step 14, drain it off and save to add to the gravy.

Something to try next time

• Line the loaf tin then spread the base with 2 x 15ml spoons of cranberry sauce. Carefully press on the first layer of nut mixture and continue with the recipe. When the roast is turned out the cranberry sauce will form a seasonal topping.
• Use chopped fresh herbs instead of dried herbs in the Nut Roast e.g. 2 sprigs of parsley, leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme and 10 basil leaves.
• Make homemade cranberry sauce. Simply simmer 250g of fresh or defrosted cranberries, 1 chopped apple and 50g of caster sugar with a whole cinnamon stick for 15–20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
• Add roast chestnuts to the sprouts. Pierce 50g of chestnuts using a sharp knife and roast on a baking tray for 15–20 minutes, cool and remove the shell. Chop the chestnuts finely and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Stir into the hot sprouts before serving.

Prepare now, eat later

• Make the breadcrumbs up to 2 days in advance and store in a bag in the fridge.
• Toast and chop the nuts up to 5 days in advance.
• Prepare the stuffing, cover and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours before cooking.
• Freeze the prepared breadcrumbs for up to 1 month.
• Freeze the uncooked Nut Roast for 1 month. Defrost thoroughly before cooking.