Festive Vegan and Traditional Recipes

VEGAN RECIPES

Vegan Tofu Tarama With Seaweed (Dip)

Ingredients:

• 7 oz (200g) plain tofu

• 2 tbsp vegetable cream

• 1 tbsp seaweed flakes

• 2 tbsp natural soy yogurt

• 6 tsp beet powder or juice

• 1 tbsp deodorised coconut oil

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

2. Chill until ready to serve.

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Mango Salad With Avocado and Black Beans

Ingredients

• 1 lime, zested and juiced

• 1 small mango, stoned, peeled and chopped

• 1 small avocado, stoned, peeled and chopped

• 100g cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped

• 1 red onion, chopped

• ½ small pack coriander, chopped

• 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed

Method

• STEP 1

  Put the lime zest and juice, mango, avocado, tomatoes, chilli and onion in a bowl, stir through the coriander and beans.

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized acorn squash

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper

For the Filling

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 8 sage leaves, chopped

• 8 oz./230 g mushrooms, sliced

• 1/2 red onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped plus more for garnish

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, plus more for garnish

• 1 1/2 c. cooked rice

• 1/3 cup vegan cream 

• 1 cup grated cheese

  Method

1. For the squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Carefully cut the squash in half through the stem. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous centre. Place on a baking sheet cut-side up. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Flip each half over, placing them cut side down, and continue to roast for 15 minutes or until very tender. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/175°C. 

2. For the filling: While the squash is roasting, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the sage and cook for 30 seconds or until dark green. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the onions are softened about 7 minutes. 

3. Stir in the cooked rice and vegan cream. Stir in 1/2 cup vegan cheese until well combined.

4. Flip the squash cut-side up and divide the filling among each squash half. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup vegan cheese. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is warm throughout. Garnish with more fresh thyme leaves and black pepper before serving.

   Recipe Tips: You can replace the rice with lentils, kidney beans or anything you like. I like to make a filling with a tasty risotto.

   

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Vegan Nuts Roast

Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz mixed nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans or Brazil nuts

• 1 vegan-friendly vegetable stock cube

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped

• 1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 100g/3½oz prepared weight)

• 2 carrots, coarsely grated (around 150g/5½oz prepared weight)

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 4 tbsp cashew butter

• 180g/6oz cooked chestnuts, broken into small pieces

• 75g/2½oz dried cranberries

• 20g/¾oz bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 1 lemon, finely grated zest only

• 4 tbsp milk alternatives, such as soya or almond

• 1 tsp sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. 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. If you don’t have a food processor, chop all the nuts as finely as you can.

2. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Lightly oil then line the base of a 900g/2lb loaf tin with baking paper.

3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently fry the onion, celery, leek and carrots for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more.

4. Tip into a mixing bowl and stir in the cashew nut butter. Add the chopped nuts, chestnuts, cranberries, parsley, lemon zest, soya or almond milk and salt. Season with lots of ground black pepper and stir until thoroughly mixed.

5. 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 hot throughout and lightly browned.

6. 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 vegan gravy.

Recipe Tips

This nut roast recipe can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover with foil to reheat in a medium oven for 20 minutes.

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Vegan Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 150g dairy-free spread, plus extra for the tins

• 300ml dairy-free milk, we used oat milk

• 1 tbsp cider vinegar

• 300g self-raising flour

• 200g golden caster sugar

• 4 tbsp cocoa powder

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the buttercream

• 100g dairy-free dark chocolate

• 200g dairy-free spread

• 400g icing sugar

• 5 tbsp cocoa powder

• 1 tbsp dairy-free milk, such as oat milk

To decorate

• handful of fresh, seasonal fruits such as cherries, blackberries or figs

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease the base and sides of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with dairy-free spread, then line the bases with baking parchment.

• STEP 2

  Put the dairy-free milk in a jug and add the vinegar – it will split but don’t worry. Put all of the other cake ingredients into a large bowl, pour over the milk mixture and beat well until smooth. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out cleanly. Leave to cool in the tins for 10mins then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

• STEP 3

  To make the buttercream, put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Leave the melted chocolate to cool for 5 minutes. Beat the dairy-free spread and icing sugar together with a wooden spoon then sift in the cocoa powder with a pinch of salt. Pour in the melted chocolate and dairy-free milk and keep mixing until smooth.

• STEP 4

  Sandwich the two cooled sponges together with half of the buttercream then pile the rest on top and down the sides. Decorate with the fresh fruit.

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Vegan Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 3 large black bananas

• 75ml vegetable oil or sunflower oil, plus extra for the tin

• 100g brown sugar

• 225g plain flour (or use self-raising flour and reduce the baking powder to 2 heaped tsp)

• 3 heaped tsp baking powder

• 3 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice

• 50g dried fruit or nuts (optional)

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mash 3 large black peeled bananas with a fork, then mix well with 75g vegetable or sunflower oil and 100g brown sugar.

• STEP 2

  Add 225g plain flour, 3 heaped tsp baking powder and 3 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice, and combine well. Add 50g dried fruit or nuts, if using.

• STEP 3

  Bake in an oiled, lined 2lb loaf tin for 20 minutes. Check and cover the cake with foil if it is browning.

• STEP 4

  Bake for another 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

• STEP 5

  Allow to cool a little before slicing. It's delicious freshly baked, but develops a lovely gooey quality the day after.

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TRADITIONAL RECIPES

Hen, Truffled With Orange, Parsnips and Beetroot

Ingredients

• 1 hen, about 2.2 lbs (1 kg)

• 0.5-0.7 oz (15-20 g) black truffle

• 2 teaspoons nutmeg

• 3 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1.7 fl oz (5 cl) olive oil

• 3 organic oranges

• Juice of 2 oranges

• 1 bunch of thyme

• 2 sprigs of rosemary

• 4 parsnips

• 3 beetroots

• 3 shallots

Method

1. Take the poultry out 1.5 hours before cooking. Brush and slice the truffle. Gently lift the skin of the upper part of the poultry and insert the truffle slices. Season the poultry with salt, pepper, and spices in a casserole.

2. Preheat the oven to 302°F (150°C/Gas Mark 2). Stuff the poultry with orange quarters and thyme, drizzle with olive oil, add orange juice and water. Include thyme, rosemary, and sliced oranges in the casserole. Cover and cook for 1 hour.

3. Boil parsnips and beets separately until tender, then drain.

4. After 1 hour of cooking the poultry, add the vegetables and shallots. Baste with cooking juices and continue to cook covered for another hour, basting every 15 minutes.

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Capon Stuffed With Chestnuts and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 capon

• 14 oz (US)/400g (UK) natural chestnuts

• 14 oz (US)/400g (UK) multigrain bread

• 2 shallots

• 8.8 oz (US)/250g (UK) Paris mushrooms

• 1.8 oz (US)/50g (UK) butter

• 1 bunch coriander

• Mill pepper, salt

Method

1. Ask your butcher to debone the capon, keeping the legs and wings to re-form its shape once stuffed. Alternatively, do it yourself: cut the skin on the breast, slide a sharp knife along the fillets to underneath, remove the rib cage, leaving thighs, wings, and breast fillets flat on each side.

2. Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C/UK Gas Mark 6-7). Brown the chopped shallots and sliced mushrooms in a casserole with butter. Season with salt and pepper, add chestnuts, roughly chopped bread, chopped coriander, mix well, and let it cool.

3. Put the stuffing in the centre of the capon, fold the sides to reshape it, and place it in a bowl to hold its shape while you sew the skin with a large needle and kitchen string. Cook the capon in the oven for 1 hour, then reduce the temperature to 320°F (160°C/UK Gas Mark 5-6) and continue cooking for another 2 hours. Add water to the dish and baste the poultry frequently during cooking. Serve this dish with mashed potatoes and crispy kale.

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Raspberry and Pistachio Yule Log

Ingredients

• 4 eggs

• 1 packet of vanilla sugar

• 1 cup (125 g) of sugar

• 1 cup (125 g) of all-purpose flour

• 8.8 oz (250 g) mascarpone cheese

• 1.8 oz (50 g) powdered sugar + 1 tablespoon

• 8.8 oz (250 g) raspberries

• 1.8 oz (50 g) unsalted pistachios

Preparation

1. Separate egg yolks from whites.

2. Whip yolks with sugar, add flour, then fold in beaten egg whites with vanilla sugar.

3. Spread the batter on a parchment-lined tray and bake for 10-12 minutes at 392°F (200°C/Gas Mark 6-7).

4. Turn the biscuit onto a damp cloth, roll up, and set aside.

5. Mix mascarpone with powdered sugar.

6. Grind pistachios with 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar.

7. Unroll the biscuit, spread mascarpone, sprinkle pistachios, scatter raspberries, then tightly roll up again.

8. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 4 hours or more.

9. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

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All Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 8.8 oz (250g) dark chocolate

• 8.8 oz (250g) + extra butter

• 6 eggs

• 6.3 oz (180g) + extra powdered sugar

• 2.8 oz (80g) flour

• 1 packet vanilla sugar

For the glaze:

• 7 oz (200g) dark chocolate

• 3.5 oz (100g) heavy cream

• 1.8 oz (50g) butter

• 1/2 tsp neutral oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C) and butter a Charlotte mould.

2. Melt chocolate and butter together in the microwave or using a double boiler.

3. Separate egg yolks from whites. Whip yolks with powdered sugar until pale, then mix in the flour.

4. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks with vanilla sugar. Fold into the yolk mixture and pour into the mould. Bake for 30 minutes, then let cool before unmolding.

5. For the glaze, boil cream and pour over broken chocolate pieces; add butter and oil, whisk until smooth, and pour over the cake.

6. Let the cake sit at room temperature and dust it with powdered sugar to serve.