Vegetarian Vegan PathwayVegetarian Vegan Lifestyle Support

What is a good Vegetarian alternative for Christmas dinner?

MENUE – sweat meats –
Spanish Turron

Serves 6 – 8 pieces

Ingredients:

50g white sugar
2tbs water
100g runny honey
1 free range egg white
150g ground almonds
25g mixed peel
50g walnut halves (to decorate)

Method:

1. Put the sugar in a small pan with 2tbs water. Heat very gently, stirring, until all the sugar has melted. Remove from the heat and add the honey, stirring until the honey is incorporated.

2. Whisk the egg white until it is stiff. Turn the honey mixture into the processor together with ¼ of the egg white (you do not need the rest). Blend the mixture for 1 minute, after which the mixture should look almost white.

3. Clean out the pan, and return the mixture to it. Cook over a high heat, stirring continually. The mixture will look as though it is curdling – just keep stirring! After around 1 – 2 minutes the mixture will go a beige colour. Remove from the heat and add ground almonds and the mixed peel. Stir until incorporated and has the consistency of fudge.

4. Line a shallow, 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment. Turn the mixture into the tin. Make sure that it is cool enough to handle, then use your finger to flatten and form into a square. The mixture should be about 1cm thick: it won’t take up the whole tin. Press walnut halves firmly all over the surface, remembering that you will be cutting between each one.

Chocolate Truffle Snowballs

Makes 16-18

Ingredients:

For the filling:
85g dark chocolate (70 – 76% cocoa solids)
35ml double cream
2tbs rum

For the ice cream:
75ml double cream
25g desiccated coconut, ground
40ml coconut cream
25g caster sugar

To coat (optional):
100g white chocolate

Method:

1. For the filling (chocolate balls): melt the chocolate in a small dish sitting over a pan of simmering water. Making sure the bowl doesn’t come into contact with the water. Warm the cream in another small saucepan until just tepid then stir in the melted chocolate. Cool a little.

2. Stir in the rum and whisk until the mixture is light and shiny. Put a single layer of balled teaspoonfuls of the mixture on the lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm – about 1 hour.

3. For the ice cream: Shake the coconut cream in its tin or carton so that it is well mixed. Whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks, add the ground coconut, coconut cream and sugar, and stir gently. The mixture should be quite thick.

4. Take the chocolate balls out of the freezer and stick each with a cocktail stick. Holding the chocolate balls with cocktail sticks, dip each one into the ice-cream mixture and coat them using a spoon to help, then replace onto the lined baking sheet. Leave the cocktail sticks in for people to pick them up with.

5. Return to the freezer and freeze for an hour or until firm. The snowballs can be then served in petit four cases, or dipped in melted white chocolate and returned to the freezer for another hour first. Serve straight from freezer.

Frosted Fizz

Serves 6
Vegan

Ingredients:

1 tbsp caster sugar
7 clementines
240ml pomegranate juice
30ml orange liqueur (e.g. Grande Marnier type)
750ml bottle vegetarian Prosecco or Champagne

Method:

1. Spread the sugar over a small plate. Cut one clementine in half and use to rub the rim of 6 glasses. Then “frost” by dipping glasses in the sugar.

2. Put the liqueur, the pomegranate juice and the juice of the remaining clementines into a small jug and devide equally between 6 glasses. Top with Prosecco or Champagne and serve immediately
Mains
Not Just a Nut Roast

Serves 4

This can be made 2 or 3 days before you want to eat it.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, very finely chopped
1 – 1 ½ tbs olive oil
125g vegetarian Halloumi cheese, thinly sliced
50g cashews
50g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
100g walnuts
50g ground almonds
150g cooked basmati rice (about 75g uncooked weight), cooled
1 small red pepper, cut into small dice (about ½ cm)
2 – 3tbs chopped fresh coriander
1 – 1 ½ tsp fennel seeds, ground
75ml hot light stock (3 tsp light stock powder to 75ml water)
50g stoned black olives, halved
to taste salt and pepper
2 large free range eggs, beaten

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 375F / Gas mark 5. Grease a 450g loaf tin. Line the base and ends with a single strip of baking paper, leaving an overhang at each end. This will help to ease the loaf out of the tin when cooked.

2. Gently sauté the onion in 1tbs olive oil in a frying pan until soft but not coloured. Remove from the pan and set aside. Using the remaining ½ tbs olive oil if necessary, turn up the heat and use the same pan to fry the halloumi cheese quickly until brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool, then cut into very small dice (about ½ cm).

3. Grind the cashew nuts with half the walnuts until powdery and add the breadcrumbs. Put the remaining walnuts into a processor and process until very finely chopped.

4. In a large bowl, mix all the nuts together with the onions and halloumi cheese and all the remaining ingredients except the eggs. Season to taste then add the beaten eggs and beat well. Press the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, with a slightly rounded top surface. Put into the bain marie* and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until firm. Check after 30 minutes, and if it appears to be browning too fast, cover with foil.

5. When cooked, remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 10 – 20 minutes before turning out. Slice with care using a sharp knife, and wiping the knife clean after each cut.

Notes:
* Bain marie: put the filled loaf tin in a deep oven dish. Fill the dish with boiling water to half way up the loaf tin. Then put all in the oven to bake.

To cool the rice quickly when cooked, drain through a sieve and rinse well with cold water

Sweet Rosemary Roasties

Serves 4
Vegan

Ingredients:
1 ½ kg potatoes
4tbs maple syrup
4tbs olive oil
3 large sprigs rosemary, very finely chopped (about 2tsp chopped leaves)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C° / 400F° / Gas mark 6

2. Peel the potatoes, cut into small chunks. Put into boiling salted water, return to boil and cook until beginning to soften. The inside should still be slightly firm. Drain.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Tip in the cooked potatoes (which can be hot or cold) and gently toss them in the dressing.

4. Tip the coated potatoes, and any remaining dressing, onto a large non-stick baking tray and spread out into a single layer. Bake for about 30 minutes until a mottled golden colour, when they will be slightly crispy. Cook for longer if you want them crispier.

Speedy Sprouts with Wild Mushrooms

Serves 4
vegan

Ingredients:

1tbs ground nut oil
350g large Brussels sprouts, prepared and sliced roughly
3 shallots (or 1 small onion), sliced
150g oyster mushrooms, sliced
1tbs shoyu or light soy sauce
50ml light stock made with vegan stock powder
1 1/2tsp (or to taste) mild whole grain mustard
1tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cornflour

Method:

1.Heat the ground nut oil in a large wok. Stir-fry the sliced sprouts and shallots for about 2-minutes and add the mushrooms. Continue to stir-fry for another minute or two.

2. Mix together the remaining ingredients and add to the stir-fry. Stir to coat and heat through until the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with a little more stock powder if necessary and serve

Herby Creamed Carrots

Serves 4
Can be vegan*

Ingredients:

500 – 600g carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large clove garlic, crushed
5tbs double cream
(*or use soya cream + 1tsp hard vegan margarine)
1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage (or use ½ tsp dried)
½ large lemon, grated zest only
to taste salt and pepper and a pinch of caster sugar if necessary
4 sage leaves (to garnish)
1tsp butter (or hard vegan margarine) for greasing

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C / 375F / Gas mark 5

2. Steam carrots until al dente and pat dry. Put in a liquidizer with the remaining ingredients. Blend until pureed. If using soya cream, add 1tsp margarine.

3. Check for seasoning, adding a little caster sugar if necessary. Turn into the greased ovenproof dish. Cover with foil and reheat in the oven for about 10 minutes. Serve topped with sage leaves.

Fiery Red Wine Gravy

Serves 4
Vegan

Ingredients:

1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2tbs olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
400ml boiling water
1tsp yeast extract
1 – 2tsp light vegan vegetable stock powder
100 ml vegetarian red wine
1 bay leaf
2tsp plain white flour
1 – 2tbs (or to taste) sweet chilli sauce
2tsp tomato puree
pinch sugar
1 – 1 ½ tsp (or to taste) chopped fresh garden mint
to taste salt and pepper

Method:

1. Gently sauté the onion in the oil until beginning to soften, stirring frequently. Add the carrot, boiling water, yeast extract, stock powder, wine and bay leaf. Return to the boil and simmer, covered, for 15 – 20 minutes. Cool.

2. Remove bay leaf, put in food processor then strain through a fine sieve. Add flour and sugar and blend again to incorporate the flour.

3. Return to the saucepan and add the sweet chilli sauce and tomato puree and bring to the boil, stirring all the time.

4. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and the flour cooked. Add the garden mint and continue to simmer for a further 30 seconds. Season to taste if necessary.

Exotic Christmas Pud

Serves 8
Can be made 2 or 3 days beforehand.

Ingredients:

100g ready to eat dried mango
100g ready to eat dried figs
125g ready to eat dried cranberries
200ml vegetarian fino sherry
100g light vegetarian suet
100g white breadcrumbs
100g light muscovado sugar
50g plain flour
1 ½ tsp cardamom seeds, lightly crushed
25g pecan nuts, finely chopped
1 large orange, zest and juice
2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
15g butter (for greasing)

Method:

1. Cut all the dried fruit into small dice (kitchen scissors can be less messy than using a knife) and place in a shallow bowl. Pour over the sherry and leave to soak for 1 hour, stirring from time to time.

2. Combine the suet, breadcrumbs, sugar, flour, cardamom and nuts in a large bowl. Add the orange zest, juice and eggs to the marinating fruit and then combine with the dry ingredients, mixing well.

3. Grease a 1 litre pudding basin and line the base with baking parchment. Spoon the mixture into the basin and level the top. Cover with baking parchment, pleated to allow for expansion, then cover with foil also pleated and tie with string.

4. Place an upturned saucer in a large saucepan. Stand the basin on top and pour boiling water two-thirds up the sides of the basin. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 ½ hours topping up with boiling water as necessary.

Boozy White Sauce

Serves 4
Vegan

Ingredients:

200ml soya milk
4tbs sunflower oil
1½ – 2 tsp vanilla extract (depending on strength)
1tbs cornflour
1½tsp white sugar
1tbs golden syrup
2tsp white rum or brandy

Method:

1. Put soya milk, sunflower oil, vanilla extract, corn flour and sugar into a blender and blend for 5 – 10 seconds until just combined. Be careful to not over blend. Pour into a small saucepan and add the golden syrup.

2. Bring to the boil stirring all the time, then simmer and stir for about 1 minute to cook the corn flour. Add the rum or brandy and taste. Add more sugar if desired. For a thinner sauce, add a very little more soya milk. Serve hot.
OR/both
Spicy Rum Custard

Ingredients:

275ml full fat milk
275ml double cream
small stick cinnamon
4 large free range egg yolks
4 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp white rum

Method:

1. Place the milk, cream and cinnamon in a pan and heat gently, until bubbles appear around the edge. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and leave to infuse for 15 minutes before taking out the cinnamon.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl beat the egg yolks lightly with the sugar and rum using a small whisk.

3. Re-heat the milk mixture until just below boiling point and then pour over the egg mixture, whisking all the time to prevent lumps from forming.

4. Pour the custard back into the saucepan and continue to whisk until the sauce has thickened. Serve immediately.

Note: this is a pouring consistency, for a thicker custard add 1tsp cornflour when incorporating the sugar into the eggs.

hope this helps

Vegetarian Alternative – Delia’s Classic Christmas – BBC Two

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