Delicious UK - (12)December 2020

THE NEW

NUT ROAST

with killer cheese sauce

VEGGIESHOWSTOPPER

Forget those uninspiring veggie offerings of Christmases past – this updated

centrepiece is rich, savoury and satisfying (hands off, meat eaters!), and

comes with a super-cheesy sauce you’ll want to pour over everything

RECIPE AND FOOD ST YLING SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH PHOTOGRAPHS TOBY SCOTT ST YLING VICTORIA ELDRIDGE

Porciniandrootvegnut

roastwithBoursinsauce

SERVES6.HANDS-ONTIME 30 MIN,

OVENTIME1 HOUR,PLUSSOAKING

MAKE

AHEAD

Assemble the nut roast and

cook the sauce up to a day

ahead, allow both to cool

completely, then cover and chill until

needed. Bring to room temperature

and complete the recipe to serve.

EASY

SWAPS

Use a combo of any nuts you

like instead of walnuts and

almonds. Use a vegetarian

blue cheese in the sauce instead of

the Garlic & Herbs Boursin – we like

stilton or cambozola.

• 30g dried porcini mushrooms


• 100g fresh white
  breadcrumbs


• Splash of vegetable oil


• 1 onion, finely chopped


• 1 carrot, grated


• 1 celery stick, finely chopped


• 1 parsnip, grated


• A few fresh thyme sprigs, plus
  extra to garnish


• 250g chestnut mushrooms,
  thinly sliced


• 2 garlic cloves, crushed


• 250g pack ready-cooked quinoa


• 60g walnut halves, roughly chopped
  
  
  • 60g blanched almonds, roughly
    chopped
  
  
  • 75g vacuum packed cooked
    chestnuts, chopped
  
  
  • 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten
  
  
  • 2-3 pickled walnuts, finely chopped
  
  
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  
  
  
  

FOR THE SAUCE

• 20g butter


• 20g plain flour


• 400ml milk


• 75g Garlic & Herbs Boursin (or
  other soft cheese with herbs)


• 50g mature cheddar, grated (check
  it’s vegetarian if you need it to be)

YOU’LL ALSO NEED...

• 1 litre loaf tin, greased with
  vegetable oil and fully lined with
  compostable baking paper

1 Put the dried mushrooms in a

heatproof bowl, cover with 250ml

freshly boiled water, then set aside

for 10 minutes to rehydrate.

2 Put the breadcrumbs in a separate

bowl and strain over the liquid from

the soaked mushrooms. Roughly chop

the soaked mushrooms and set aside.

3 Heat a splash of oil in a large

saucepan or casserole and gently fry

the onion, carrot, celery, parsnip and

thyme for 10-12 minutes until

softened. Add the soaked and fresh

mushrooms and the garlic, then cook

for a further 5 minutes to soften.

4 Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/

gas 4. Remove the pan from the heat,

then stir in the soaked breadcumbs

and the remaining ingredients with

some salt and pepper until mixed.

5 Spoon the mixture into the

prepared loaf tin and squash down

to make sure it’s tightly packed, then

cover with a piece of foil (see Make

Ahead). Bake for 45 minutes, remove

the foil, then return to the oven for

10-15 minutes until browned and a

knife pushed into the centre comes

out clean. Leave in the tin for 5-10

minutes, then turn out onto a serving

plate and scatter with fresh thyme.

6 Meanwhile, melt the butter

in a large heavy-based pan over

a medium heat. Whisk in the flour

for 1-2 minutes until smelling toasty,

then gradually add the milk,

whisking well between additions.

Bubble for 5 minutes, whisking

frequently, to make a thick sauce.

Stir in the cheeses until melted, then

season to taste (see Make Ahead).

Serve alongside the nut roast.

PER SERVING 536kcals, 31.8g fat

(10.7g saturated), 20.1g protein,

38.9g carbs (10.2g sugars), 1g salt,

6.4g fibre