Jill's Nut Roast Recipe - not just for Christmas!

I can vouch for the yumminess of this nut roast and can see this becoming a regular dish in our household!

This quantity makes enough for a 1lb loaf tin.

2 banana shallots finely chopped

½ medium aubergine cut into small cubes

½ small butternut squash cut into small cubes

½ large courgette grated (or whole smaller one)

2 sticks of celery finely chopped

½ red pepper cut into small pieces about same size as cubes above

Handful of green beans finely chopped

Couple of tablespoons olive oil

1 flat tsp veg stock powder

50g brown breadcrumbs

70g mixed nuts (almond/brazil/pecan) blitzed to breadcrumb size

4 soft apricots finely chopped

50g pine nuts - whole

50g pistachios – whole

Salt and pepper

1 egg

Sage, parsely and thyme finely chopped

Or

1 tsp ground coriander and 1 tsp ground cumin plus handful fresh chopped coriander

1.         Fry onion and celery for a couple of minutes until onion softens then add rest of chopped veg, turn down heat, put lid on and ‘sweat’ for about 5 – 10 minutes.   Sprinkle over veg stock powder, mix well and leave to cool.

2.         In a large bowl combine breadcrumbs, blitzed mixed nuts, chopped apricots, pine nuts and pistachios.  Add salt and pepper to taste (remember veg stock powder has salt in it too).

3.         Once veg have cooled, add to dry mix and add egg.   Mix well.

4.         Depending on whether you want a herby roast or a ‘curry’ flavour roast, add your choice now and mix well.   You could halve the mix and make two smaller ½ lb roasts.   If you do this halve the herbs and/or spices. Grease your tin (s) and line with a strip of baking parchment.   Press mix down firmly.

Cook in oven at 175 for 45 minutes to 1 hour

For Christmas I topped it with a mixture of fresh cranberries which I had rolled in rice malt syrup and whole pecans.

You could use any mixture of vegetables and/or nuts but you do need the breadcrumbs and egg to ‘bind’ the mixture.