richard Here’s wishing you all a magnificent fun and food-filled 2023.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 65-75 minutes
Skill level: easy
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- butter – 50g
- 1 red onion – finely diced
- ½ leek – finely sliced
- 1 carrot – finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves – finely sliced
- marmite – ½ tsp
- chestnut mushrooms – 100g – chopped
- puy lentils – 100g – cooked
- vacuum packed cooked chestnuts – 180g – roughly chopped
- mixed nuts – 100g – chopped
- dried cranberries or apricots (optional) – 30g – chopped
- stale bread – 100g – crumbed
- vegetable stock – 150ml
- 1 orange – zested
- nutmeg – grating
- rosemary – 1 tbsp – finely chopped
- thyme leaves – 1 tbsp
- 2 eggs – beaten
- s&p
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion, leek, carrot and garlic and sweat for 10 minutes until soft.
Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, then add the marmite, cooked lentils, chestnuts, mixed nuts, cranberries (if using), breadcrumbs and stock.
Simmer gently until all the stock has been absorbed, then add the orange zest, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme. Season to taste.
Remove from the heat and fold in the beaten eggs.
Spoon the mixture into a suitable sized loaf tin which has been lined with baking paper. Pack the mixture down.
Place in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes until suitably browned and crisp on the outside.
Tip out and allow to cool a little before slicing and serving.
If this is part of a Christmas dinner, I’d suggest making in advance and heating up to serve.
Freeze any left-over roast to eat another day.
Verdict: The nuts make this (unsurprisingly) nutty, the lentils ensure a succulence and chestnuts lend a suitable Christmassy element. Alternatively you could try this other yumblog nut roast, or if you want something similar but in stuffing form, this Chestnut stuffing.
Drink: Cocktails on beach. Champagne when opening presents. Red with dinner.
Entertainment: ‘The Festive Pottery Throw Down’ – as always a joy.
