Recipes to keep you cool, calm and collected this Christmas!
Christmas Guide
Easy, delicious recipes to keep you cool, calm and collected this Christmas!
Contents:
- Cherry tomato and butterbean canapés
- Smoked Salmon and cream cheese blinis
- Mushroom and walnut pâté
- Braised red cabbage
- Braised cabbage and bacon
- Crispy roasted potatoes
- Braised lentils and sausages
- Mushroom and lentil nut roast
- Chestnut and mushroom Wellington
- Creamed leeks and carrots
- Maple roasted carrots and parsnips
- Christmas Fruit Cake
- Christmas Granola
- Austrian Vanilla Kipferl
Butterbean mash and roasted tomato canape
Ingredients:
1 tin of butterbeans
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast or Parmesan
2 fat cloves of garlic
1 white onion
cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
185g sea salt crackers
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Roughly chop the onion and garlic and cut the tomatoes in half. Lay the tomatoes on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and bursting. In a saucepan, fry the onion on a low heat until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes, and then add the garlic for another minute. Once all golden remove from the heat and place in a food processor along with the drained beans and nutritional yeast. Blitz until a smooth-ish paste forms, adding water if needed. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Once the tomatoes are finished, remove them from the oven. Take a teaspoon of the butterbean mixture and smear it on a cracker, follow it with two or three roasted tomatoes and then a sprinkling of chives and a final dash of salt. The butterbean mash can me made a couple days in advance and kept in an airtight container.
Mushroom and Walnut Pate
Serves 12-15
Ingredients:
500g chestnut mushrooms
1 white onion
4 cloves of garlic
100g walnuts
1 heaped tbsp. vegan cream cheese
1 tbsp. soya sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. chopped parsley and chives
Salt, pepper and olive oil
Method:
Chop up the onion, mushrooms and garlic and sauté in a frying pan until all the water has evaporated, about 10 minutes in total. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes. Add everything to a food processor and blitz until very smooth. Line a tin with cling film and firmly press the mixture in. Leave it to chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably over-night. Once substantially chilled, remove from fridge and turn upside down on your serving platter. Carefully peel off the cling film and sprinkle with the fresh herbs! Serve and enjoy!
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese on Buckwheat Blinis
Serves 30
Ingredients:
500g smoked salmon
100g cream cheese
For the buckwheat blinis:
100g buckwheat
200ml milk of choice
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. fresh chopped chives to serve.
Method:
Place 100g of buckwheat in a blender and blitz until a fine flour is achieved. Transfer this to a bowl and add in the remaining ingredients. Whisk until a smooth batter is formed. In a large frying pan, heat some oil and then dollop a teaspoon worth of the mixture in the pan. Working from the outside creating a circle until you have no more space in the frying pan and one in the middle if you have space. The little blinis should be flipped once bubbles start to appear on the top, they need around 30 seconds to a minute per side. Let the blinis cool completely before assembling the canapes; smear on the cream cheese followed by a strip of smoked salmon and sprinkling of fresh chives.
Braised red cabbage
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1 red cabbage
1 red onion
60g dried cranberries
1 large apple
1 heaped tsp brown sugar
250ml red wine
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper
Method:
Shred the cabbage as fine as you can, slice the red onion into half-moons and chop the apple into little cubes. In a large saucepan, heat some oil and begin to sauté the onion until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the apple and the cabbage next and sauté for a further 5 minutes and then pour in the wine, leave it to sizzle for a minute and then add the cranberries and sugar and some salt. Give it all a big stir and then clamp the lid on and leave to braise for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir through the butter at the end to give it a rich, glossy texture and serve! This can be made well in advance and frozen!
Braised Savoy Cabbage and Smoky Bacon
Ingredients:
1 savoy cabbage
1 packet of streaky smoked bacon
2 tbsp. crème fraiche
1 tsp fennel seeds
250ml dry white wine
1 heaped tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Salt & pepper
Method:
Shred the cabbage and cut the bacon into lardon sized shapes. In a large saucepan, heat a tiny bit of oil and fry the bacon until it begins to get crispy around the edges, about 10 minutes. Add in the cabbage, fennel seeds and the wine, give it all a good stir and clamp the lid on for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the crème fraiche, butter and parsley at the end. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Crispy roasted potatoes
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
1kg king Edward potatoes
200ml olive oil
6 fat cloves of garlic
3 sprigs of rosemary
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 190C.Cut the potatoes into big even chunks (I like to leave the skin on as it’s the most nutritious part but you can skin them) and put in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover them by a finger. Leave them to soak for 45 minutes to reduce the starch content and make them extra crisp. Drain the pot and fill with fresh water add a big pinch of sea salt and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. After about 12-15 minutes after you initially turned the heat on, stick a knife into one and if it slides of easy they are ready to be drained. Clamp the lid on the saucepan and shake the potatoes around to fluff them up. Fill the bottom of a baking tray with the olive oil and pop it in the oven to get nice and hot for 5 minutes whilst the potatoes air dry. This way you are less likely to get splattered by oil when you put the potatoes in the tray. After 5 minutes carefully take the tray out and put the potatoes in as carefully as you can. Put the tray back in the oven and after 25 minutes turn the potatoes to a new side as well as popping the cloves of garlic in. After another 20-25 minutes take the potatoes out and sprinkle the rosemary over and season them. Serve immediately!
Braised lentils and sausages
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 Cumberland sausages (or veggie sausages)
150g Puy lentils (French Lentils)
1 large carrot
1 large stalk of celery
1 red onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
250ml red wine
700ml veggie or chicken stock
1 knob of butter
1/4 of a tsp of marmite
1 tbsp. tomato paste
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 190C.
Chop the carrot, onion and celery into little cubes and mince the garlic. In a large saucepan begin to sauté the onion until just starting to brown, about 5 minutes, and then add the celery, carrot and garlic. Sauté for another 3 or 4 minutes and then stir in the tomato paste. Add the lentils and coat them in all the lovely juices and then pour in the wine, let is sizzle away for a minute and follow it with the stock, marmite, butter and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 25-30 minutes until the lentils are just tender. Cook the sausages according to packaging. Serve all together and enjoy!
Mushroom and lentil nut roast
Ingredients:
150g red lentils
100g brown lentils
1 white onion
1 large stick of celery
1 large carrot
3 cloves garlic
150g mixed nuts
50g breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. flax seeds
1/2 tsp marmite
2 tbsp. soya sauce
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. chopped rosemary
Method:
Pre- heat the oven to 190C.Rinse the lentils and place them in a saucepan with 3 times the volume of water and cook until very soft, about 25-30 minutes. Drain once cooked. Chop the onion, celery, carrot and mushrooms into small 1 cm pieces and mince the garlic. In a large saucepan, heat oil and begin by frying the onion for 5 minutes. Next add the garlic, carrot, celery, rosemary and mushrooms and cook until all the water has evaporated, about 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the tomato paste, soya sauce, flax seeds and marmite. Add in the cooked vegetables and the drained lentils giving a good mix. Stir in the breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and fill with the mixture, pressing down to reach an even compact surface. Bake in the oven for 50mins, leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin! Freezes well or can be kept in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.
Chestnut and mushroom Wellington
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 red onion finely sliced
2 leeks, finely sliced
6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 x 300g packs chestnut mushrooms, quartered
200g pack Whole Chestnuts, roughly chopped
Flour, for dusting
500g pack puff pastry
2 tsp unsweetened plant milk
2 tbsp. vegan Worcester sauce
3-4 tbsp. wholegrain mustard
Method:
Heat the oil in a large pan and gently cook the leeks for 5 minutes until softened and caramelised. Add the thyme and garlic, fry for a further minute then add the mushrooms and fry for about 10 minutes until all water has come out and evaporated. Then add Worcester sauce & fry for another min. Take off heat & stir in chestnuts and then leave to cool.
Lay a large sheet of cling film on the work surface and tip the mixture into the middle. Mould into a rough log shape then roll up tightly in the cling film to make a bug cylinder. Chill for 1 hour until firm.
Preheat the oven to 190C. Dust the work surface with flour and roll the pastry into a 34 x 28cm triangle and brush on a layer of mustard to match the size of the filling. Lay the cylinder of filling on top and unwrap. Carefully roll the filling in the pastry finishing with the join on the underside. Press the ends together to seal and crimp with a fingertip or a fork. Cut any pastry trimmings and use to decorate the Wellington. Brush with milk. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
Creamed Leeks and Carrots
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
2 large leeks
2 large carrots
1 white onion
3 cloves of garlic
200ml double cream
¼ of a vegetable stock cube
200ml water
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Method:
Cut the leeks in half, wash them and then slice them into fine half-moons. Grate the carrot using the larger size of a box grater, slice the onion into half-moons and mince the garlic. In a large saucepan heat some oil and begin to sauté the onions for 4 minutes until softening but not colouring. Next add in the garlic, leeks and carrots. Sauté for about 10 minutes on a low heat until soft. After 10 minutes, pour in the cream, water, stock cube, apple cider vinegar and nutmeg and leave to gently simmer for 5 more minutes and then serve hot.
Maple roasted carrots and parsnips
Ingredients:
5/6 big carrots
5/6 big parsnips
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Cut the parsnips and carrots in half lengthways and then mix the oil and syrup together and pour on top.
Spread on a baking tray in one even layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 35-40 minutes turning half way, serve immediately!
Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients:
1kg mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, orange peel)
1 lemon, zest & juice
1 orange, zest & juice
250g coconut oil
200g light brown sugar
300ml rum
175g plain flour
4 tbsp. chia seeds
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Put the dried fruit, zests and juice, rum, coconut oil and sugar into a large pan on a medium heat. Mix it all up and bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Pour mix into a big bowl and leave to cool for 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 150C Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment, then wrap a double layer of newspaper around the outside and tie with string. Mix the chia seeds with 150ml water. Leave to sit for 5 minutes until gel-like and thick (egg replacement). Add the remaining ingredients to the fruit mixture, along with the chia seed mix, and stir well so all is combined. Tip into the prepared tin, level the top with a spoon and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hours. Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in it with a skewer and spoon over 2-3 tbsp. of rum. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
Ice a few hours before serving!
Christmas granola
Makes a large batch
Ingredients:
300g jumbo rolled oats50g pecans
50g shelled pistachios
1 heaped tbsp. chia seeds
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
50g dried cranberries
3 tbsp. coconut oil
2 tbsp. maple syrup
Method:
Pre-heat the oven 160C and like a tray with parchment.
Mix all the dry ingredients, except for the cranberries and spices in a bowl. Separately, melt the coconut oil and then stir in the maple syrup and the spices. Pour wet over dry and mix well so that everything gets nicely covered. Pour mixture out onto baking tray and press down. Bake in the oven for 15-17 minutes- don’t stir for ultimate crunchiness!! Once out add in the cranberries! Leave to cool completely before breaking up into chunks!Keep in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.
Vanilla Kipferl (traditional Austrian Christmas cookie)
Makes about 50 cookies
Ingredients:
300g self-raising flour
210g cold Stork block butter
70g granulated white sugar
100g ground almonds
100g icing sugar
16g vanilla sugar
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 170C. Cut the butter into cubes and measure out the flour, ground almonds and sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix by gently massage the butter into the flour using your fingers to form a smooth dough, try to work quickly so that the butter doesn’t melt too much. Once the dough is formed, line a flat cookie tray with parchment paper and shape the dough into half-moon cookies about 5 cm wide. Space them about 2cm apart as the grow. Once you have formed all the cookies bake them in them in the oven for 13 minutes until just starting to brown. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar and icing sugar and then again with icing sugar once cooled. Store in an airtight container.