nut roast

Bake a fascinating vegetarian loaf with lentils, chestnut mushrooms, and cheese that will go with all the classic roast dinner or party trimmings.

• Prep: 30 mins
• Cook: 1 hr and 5 mins
• Easy
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce

nut stuffing Method

Step: 1 Rule the base and edges of a 1.5-litre loaf tin with parchment paper.

Step: 2 In a large frying pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 15g butter and cook then 1 finely chopped large onion and 2 finely chopped celery sticks for around 5 mins till they start to soften.

Step: 3 Now stir in 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 200g finely chopped chestnut mushrooms and cook for the next 10 mins.

Step: 4 Then stir in 1 finely diced red pepper and 1 grated carrot and cook them for around 3 mins, now add 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp smoked paprika and cook for a while or just a minute.

Step: 5 Now add 100g red lentils and 2 tbsp tomato purée and cook for around 1 min, and then add 300ml vegetable stock and gently boil over a very gentle heat till all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is justly dry. But this should take about 25 minutes. Put it aside to cool. Warm the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ gas 4.

Step: 6 Now finally, mix in 100g fresh breadcrumbs, 150g chopped mixed nuts, 3 lightly beaten large eggs, 100g grated mature cheddar, a handful of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, and a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper.

Step: 7 Carefully stir to mix well then spoon the mixture into the arranged tin and press down the top.

Step: 8 Cover it with foil and bake for about 30 mins, and then take off the foil and bake for the next 20 mins till firm when pressed with gentle.

Step: 9 For now, for the sauce, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil very carefully and then add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves and 1 rosemary sprig and heat without colouring them.

Step: 10 Spill in 400ml passata and add a pinch of salt and a bit of ground black pepper. Gently boil for just only 15 mins.

Step: 11 Let the loaf cool in the tin for around 10 mins and then turn it out onto a serving dish or plate. Take off the baking paper, cut into slices, and serve with some of the tomato sauce.

Step: 12 For a vegan nut roast, use an extra tbsp of oil instead of butter, no cheese, and a 3 tbsp egg replacer. Then bake your nut roast for about 1 hour. The loaf in the middle will still be soft after cooking.

Step: 13 (You can cook this in advance and then chill, slice, and reheat to make it easier when served).