1. Chestnut and Red Wine Paté - SERVES 4 (VEGAN)

15 ml/ 1 tbsp. olive or groundnut oil; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 clove of garlic, crushed; pinch dried thyme; l50 ml/ ¼ pint red wine; l50 ml/ ¼ pint vegetable stock; 100 g/ 4oz chopped chestnuts (cooked weight); l00 g/ 4oz chestnut purée; 75 g/ 3 oz whole-meal breadcrumbs; 15 ml/ 1 tbsp. brandy; 10-15 m1/ 2—3 tsp. shoyu (Soy sauce); salt and freshly ground black
pepper.

TO SERVE:
fresh herbs, crackers and a fresh green salad.
1 Heat the oil in a saucepan, gently cook the onion and garlic with the dried thyme until soft. Add the red wine and vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped chestnuts, chestnut purée, breadcrumbs, brandy and shoyu. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook over a gentle heat until thickened.
3 Spoon the pate into individual ramekins, smooth the surface and then chill in the refrigerator until required.
4 Serve garnished with fresh herbs, with crackers and crisp green salad leaves.

15 ml/ 1 tbsp. sunflower oil; 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped; 225 g/ 8 oz silken tofu; 1 clove of garlic, crushed; 1 lemon, zest and juice; 75m1 / 5 tbsp. Soya milk; 15 ml/ 1 tbsp. shoyu (soy sauce); 15 g/ 1 tbsp. sage leaves, chopped; 100 g/ 4 oz broad beans, cooked; salt and freshly ground black pepper.

GARNISH
reserved lemon zest.

1. Heat the oil and gently fry the onion until softened. Cool.
2. Drain the silken tofu and place in a blender. Add the crushed garlic, lemon juice and half the zest, soya milk, shoyu, sage and broad beans. Blend to a smooth dipping consistency. Season to taste and serve in a bowl garnished with reserved lemon zest with raw vegetable crudites and pitta bread fingers.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas Mark 4.
2. For the Winter Wraps, remove the base of the stem of each leaf if it is tough, and blanch or steam them for 4-5 minutes to soften. Reconstitute the dried mushrooms in boiling water if using, drain and finely chop.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes until starting to colour. Add the chopped fresh and dried mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more.
4. Stir in the pine kernels, grain mustard, soy sauce, sage, thyme and seasoning to taste.
5. Divide the mixture between the four cabbage leaves and roll up tightly, tucking the sides as you roll. Use chives to tie each one (criss-cross style) to look like a parcel. (The parcels can be made up to this point, 24 hours in advance, covered and refrigerated.) Place in an oven-proof dish, add a little vegetable stock, cover with foil and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes.
6. Meanwhile make the sweet and sour peppers. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion, garlic and peppers together for 5 minutes, until softening. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, cider vinegar and honey or maple syrup, and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the balsamic vinegar and season to taste. Remove half the mixture with a slotted spoon and reserve. Place the remaining mixture, with all the juices into a blender and blend to make a smooth sauce (Add a little water if it is too thick). (The peppers can be prepared up to this stage, 24 hours in advance and covered and refrigerated until needed).
7. When you are ready to serve, have four warm plates ready. Gently re—heat the reserved peppers and the sauce in separate saucepans. When heated through, place a mound of the pepper mixture on the centre of each plate. Place a Winter Wrap on the top, then drizzle the pepper sauce on the plate around the ‘stack’. Serve any extra sauce on the side

1. Pre—heat the oven to a 230 C/ 475 F/ Gas Mark 9.
2. Melt the butter or margarine in a frying pan and gently fry the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes. Mix in the chopped sage and thyme and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Grease a 22 cm/ 9 inch loose—bottomed flan ring and layer up the potato slices and mushroom mixture, starting and finishing with a layer of potatoes and seasoning each layer as you go.
4. Brush the final layer of potatoes with melted butter or margarine and cover with foil. Bake in pre—heated oven for 1 - 1¼ hours until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
5. Let the galette stand for 5 minutes before loosening with a palette knife and sliding onto a serving plate.
6. Warm a little cranberry or red currant sauce through gently in a saucepan and spoon onto the plate around the galette. Garnish with parsley and serve with seasonal vegetables and a green vegetable stir fry.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C / 400 F / Gas Mark 6.
2. Put the mincemeat into a bowl with the cranberries. Zest the orange and add to the bowl, then segment the orange, chop and add with any juice. Mix well. Stir in the brandy if using and leave the mixture to marinade for 30 minutes.
3. Melt the butter or vegan margarine in a small saucepan.
4. Take one sheet of filo pastry at a time and spread it on the work-top. Brush with melted fat, cover with another sheet of pastry, brush this and continue layering until all the sheets are used.
5. Place the filling at one narrow end and roll up, folding in the sides to enclose the filling as you go. (You can prepare the recipe to this stage, cover it with foil and refrigerate until ready to cook.)
6. Place on a greased baking sheet, brush with more butter or vegan margarine and make a couple of cuts in the top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until the pastry is golden. Dust the strudel with icing sugar and serve hot with custard, cream or Soya cream.

1. Pre—heat oven to 180 C/350 F/ Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line a 20 cm/8 inch loose—bottomed cake tin.
3. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place it with the butter or vegan margarine in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until melted and smooth.
4. Place the egg yolks, chestnut purée and flour into a large bowl and whisk together. Stir in the melted chocolate and butter mixture.
5. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar together in a grease—free bowl until they form soft peaks. Then gradually sprinkle on the granulated sugar and whisk the mixture until stiff.
6. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture using a metal spoon.
7. Pour into the prepared cake tin and level the top. Cook in the pre—heated oven for 35—40 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes then remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire cooling rack.
8. To make the topping: whisk the double cream until stiff and gently fold in the coffee liqueur.
9. Spread a layer of cream over the top of the torte and then, using a piping bag and star nozzle pipe rosettes around the edge of the torte. Sprinkle the grated chocolate over the centre and if liked decorate the edge with chocolate coated coffee beans.
10. Chill for at least 2 hours or until required.

1. Gently fry a large chopped onion in 2 tbsp. 100% vegetable oil for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in 1 oz whole-meal flour, add ¼ pint vegetable stock and 1 tsp. vegetable yeast extract stir until thickened.
3. Add to a large bowl with two chopped tomatoes, 6oz coarse grated Brazil nuts, 2 oz sesame seeds, 3 oz whole-meal breadcrumbs, 1 oz rolled oats, 1 level tsp. dried herbs and 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley.
4. Mix well and spoon into oiled ovenproof dish or loaf tin.
5. Bake for 35 — 45 min. at 375 deg. F or Gas Mark 4.

1. Fry 4oz finely chopped mushrooms and set aside.
2. Mix 1 tbsp. wole-meal flour and 1 tbsp. Soya flour with a little cold water in a pan.
3. Add 1 tsp. yeast extract, 1 tbsp. oil and stir well.
4. Add pint hot vegetable stock.
5. Boil, cook for two minutes. Add mushrooms.

1. Grind 4 oz. cashew nuts until a very fine powder.
2. Add chopped banana, a little sugar, 6 tbsp. water or more, and mix until smooth in an electric blender.

1. Sunshine Starter SERVES 6

3 large grapefruits; 3 large oranges; 2 medium-sized avocados; a little chopped fresh mint, if available

2. White Christmas Nutmeat with Parsley Stuffing

This recipe makes enough for one hot and one cold serving for 6-8 people; but for smaller numbers, the recipe can be halved and baked in a 450g (l lb.) loaf tin with perfect results. For this once-a-year treat I prefer to use white breadcrumbs in the nutmeat (to keep the colour), and whole-meal crumbs in the stuffing — but by all means use whole-meal ones for both if you prefer. The free-range eggs are optional: they help to make the nutmeat that bit easier to slice, but it still holds together very well without them.

SERVES 12-16

2 large onions, finely chopped; 15g (½ oz) butter or vegetable margarine; 2 heaped tablespoons flour; 300 m1 (½ pint) milk or Soya milk; 225 g (8 oz) cashew nuts, grated; 225 g (8 oz) blanched or flaked almonds, grated;
225 g (8 oz) soft white breadcrumbs; 2 free-range egg whites — optional; 4 tablespoons lemon juice; salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.

For the Stuffing
175 g (6 oz) soft whole-meal breadcrumbs; 75 g (3 oz) butter or vegetable margarine; 1 onion, grated; grated rind of 1 lemon; 4-6 heaped tablespoons chopped parsley; heaped teaspoon mixed herbs; 2 free-range egg yolks (optional).

To serve: 1 lemon, cut into circles; sprigs of parsley. Set oven to 190 C (375 F), gas mark 5. Line a 900 g (2 lb.) loaf tin with a long strip of non-stick paper and grease generously with butter or vegetable margarine. First make the nutmeat mixture. Fry the onions gently in the butter, with a lid on the pan, for about 10 minutes, until soft — stir from time to time. Add the flour and then the milk; stir over the heat to make a thick mixture.
Remove from heat and mix in the rest of the ingredients; season carefully. To make the stuffing, simply mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Put half the nutmeat mixture into the tin,

3. Cranberry Sauce SERVES 6-8

225 g (8 oz) packet fresh cranberries l50 ml (¼ pint) water; light Barbados sugar or honey to taste; grated rind of 1 orange; juice of 1 orange

4. Vegetarian Gravy SERVES 6-8

1 onion, peeled and chopped; 4 tablespoons oil; 4 tablespoons flour; 1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock (home-made or using vegetable stock cubes from the health shop); 2 bay leaves; 1-2 teaspoons yeast extract; salt and pepper.

5. Bread Sauce SERVES 6-8

As with the nutmeat, you can use whole-meal crumbs for this if you prefer.
3 cloves; 1 onion, peeled; 300 m1 (½ pint) milk or Soya milk; 50 g (2 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs; 15 g (¹/2 oz) butter or vegetable margarine; 1 tablespoon cream (optional); salt, pepper and grated nutmeg.

6. Roast Potatoes SERVES 6

7. Buttered Carrots SERVES 6

8. Brussel Sprouts with Chestnuts SERVES 6

250 g (l lb) dried chestnuts; 700 g (1½ 1b) Brussel sprouts; a little butter or vegetable margarine, optional;
salt and pepper.

9. Traditional Christmas Pudding SERVES 8

If you don’t eat egg, you can leave this out and add about 4 tablespoons extra milk (or Soya milk).

225 g (8 oz) currants; 125 g (4 oz) sultanas; 125 g (4 oz) raisins; 125 g (4 oz) candied peel or chopped dried apricots; 25 g (l oz) flaked almonds; 125 g (4 oz) plain whole-wheat flour; ½ teaspoon each grated nutmeg and ground ginger; 1½ teaspoons mixed spice; 225 g (8 oz) Barbados sugar; 125 g (4 oz) soft whole-wheat breadcrumbs; 225 g (8 oz) vegetable suet, grated, from health shops; rind and juice of 1 lemon; 2 free-range eggs, optional; 1 tablespoon molasses or black treacle; about 4 tablespoons milk/ Soya milk or milk/ Soya milk and rum.

10. Brandy Butter

125 g (4 oz) unsalted butter or vegetable margarine (from health shops); 125 g (4 oz) light Barbados sugar; 2-3 tablespoons brandy.

1-2 months in advance: Make Christmas pudding (see above) and whole-wheat Christmas Cake and mincemeat if using (recipes in Simply Delicious, Rose Elliot, Fontanta.).

3-4 weeks in advance: If you have a freezer, make nutmeat: par-bake for 30 minutes, cool quickly, freeze. You can also make and freeze the brandy butter if you like: wrap well.

4-5 days in advance: If you have not made nutmeat, grate nuts and breadcrumbs (also crumbs for bread sauce); store in fridge. Also make brandy butter, cover well, store in fridge.

2 days in advance: Soak dried chestnuts.

Day before: Make nutmeat, gravy and cranberry sauce; cook chestnuts. Remove nutmeat and brandy butter from freezer, if applicable.

Christmas Day — early in morning: Lay table; collect together dinner plates, also large serving dish for nutmeat and roast potatoes, 2 vegetable dishes, 3 sauce containers, serving dish for pudding and pudding plates. Prepare vegetables; leave covered in cold water.

10 a.m.: Put pudding on to steam.

11.15 a.m.: Position one shelf high up in oven, for roast potatoes, and one towards bottom of oven, for nutmeat. Set oven to 220 C (425 F), gas mark 7. Make bread sauce.

11.30 a.m.: Parboil potatoes.

11.50 a.m.: Put potatoes into oven; put nut-meat into oven.

12.15 p.m.: Prepare first course; put on table, or in cool place.

12.40 p.m.: Cook carrots.

12.45 p.m.: Cook sprouts.

12.50 p.m.: Turn out nut roast, drain potatoes and place around nutmeat. Turn oven down to minimum setting. Put nut roast into low oven to keep warm. Drain vegetables, place in serving dishes in oven.

12.55 p.m.: Place sauce over low heat to heat gently while you eat first course. Place first course on table if not already done.

ALTHOUGH a vegetarian Christmas dinner can be delicious, it is not an easy meal to plan, particularly if you are entertaining non-vegetarians, because this meal is so strongly associated with the eating of turkey. So people are much more conscious of not having turkey, at a vegetarian Christmas dinner, than they would be of not having meat at a dinner party, when they are not expecting any particular dish.

For this reason I am inclined to keep Christmas dinner as traditional as possible in other ways, with the sprouts, chestnuts, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce and bread sauce, but with a savoury nut loaf instead of turkey, followed by Christmas pudding and brandy butter. The savoury loaf recipe which I have given here is the all-time favourite with my family, even though I find it difficult to resist trying out different ideas on them each year!

This is not a difficult meal to organise because the nutmeat can be made up to two days in advance and kept, well covered, in the fridge; or it can be stored in a deep freeze for up to two months. It has the advantage of being easier to cook than turkey because it isn’t so big and only takes an hour or so. It will cook perfectly towards the bottom of quite a hot oven with the potatoes roasting in their own tin above.

1. Pineapple Wedges SERVES 6-8

A ripe, juicy pineapple makes a beautiful starter, lovely before a rich meal. Look for a pineapple that’s the right size to slice down in wedges, like a melon, and if necessary keep it in the airing cupboard for a day or two to ripen up. It’s best if you prepare the pineapple just before you want to serve it.

1 medium-large pineapple.

2. Pine Nutmeat with Parsley Stuffing SERVES 6

This dish consists of two layers of moist delicately flavoured white nutmeat with a layer of green herb stuffing in the middle. The pine nuts are expensive and though lovely for a special occasion, can be replaced by other cheaper white nuts such as cashews or ground almonds. The nut meat can be made without the eggs: use 150 m1 (¼ pint) thick white sauce instead.

1 onion, peeled and chopped; 25 g (l oz.) butter or vegetable margarine; 225 g (8 oz.) grated pine nuts or a mixture of pine nuts, ground almonds and cashew nuts; 4 tablespoons milk / Soya milk; 125 g(4 oz.) soft white breadcrumbs; 2 free-range eggs; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; Grated nutmeg.

For the stuffing:

175 g (6 oz.) soft breadcrumbs, white or brown; 125 g (4 oz.) butter or vegetable margarine; Grated rind and juice of ½ small lemon; ½ teaspoon dried marjoram; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; 4 heaped tablespoons chopped parsley.

To finish:

2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly roasted; Parsley sprigs; Lemon slices

Set the oven to 180° C (350° F), gas mark 4. Line a 450 g (l lb.) loaf tin with along strip of silicon paper to cover the narrow sides and base of the tin; grease very well with butter and sprinkle with dried crumbs — this helps the loaf to come out of the tin cleanly. Melt the butter or vegetable margarine in a medium-sized saucepan and fry the onions for 10 minutes, until soft but not browned. Take the saucepan off the heat and mix in the rest of the ingredients, seasoning well with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. Next make the stuffing by mixing all the ingredients together and seasoning well.

3. Special Brown Sauce SERVES 6

This is light version of brown sauce, made by simmering vegetables in stock and then liquidising and sieving them.

15 g (½ oz.) butter or vegetable margarine; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 fairly large onion, peeled and chopped; 1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed; 1 bouquet garni; 1 stick of celery, washed and chopped; 75 g (3 oz.) mushrooms, washed and roughly chopped; 2 large tomatoes, fresh (unpeeled) or canned ones, drained; 575m1 (1 pint) vegetable stock; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4. Chestnut Ice Cream SERVES 8

This is a beautiful ice cream with a delicate flavour. These quantities make a generous amount of ice cream and you could halve them if you prefer; half this would be enough for four but I don’t think it’s quite enough for six. If you want to make a less rich, healthier version you can use all fromage blanc instead of the cream; and if you don’t eat dairy produce, replace both with Plamil ‘Delice’.

425 g (l5 oz.) can chestnut puree; 275 m1 (½ pint) whipping cream; 225 g (8 oz.) fromage blanc; 150 m1 (6 oz.) caster sugar or honey; 4 tablespoons brandy

1. Chestnut, Walnut and Red Wine Loaf

This loaf can be made up to four weeks in advance and frozen. If you don’t eat dairy produce, just leave out the eggs and cheese, and sharpen the mixture with extra lemon juice to taste.

25 g/ l oz butter or vegetable margarine; 1 onion, peeled and chopped; 1 celery stick, finely chopped; 4 garlic doves, crushed; 350 g/ l2 oz cooked, roughly mashed fresh or canned chestnuts; 350g/ 12 oz cashew nuts, grated; 100 g / 4 oz walnuts, grated; 100 g / 4 oz grated vegetarian cheese; 150 m1/ 1¼ pint red wine or good vegetarian stock; 3 tablespoons chopped parsley; 1 tablespoon brandy or lemon juice; ½ teaspoon each paprika, thyme and basil; 2 free-range eggs; salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To garnish:

tomato and lemon slices; sprigs of parsley

2. BRAZIL NUT ROAST ENCROUTE (Serves 8)

500 g/ l lb. vegetable puff pastry, frozen or homemade;

For the Nut Roost

2 large onions, peeled and chopped; 50 g 12 oz pure vegetable margarine; 450 g/1 lb. shelled brazil nuts, finely grated; 225 g/ 8 oz soft fine breadcrumbs; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; salt and freshly ground black pepper; a good pinch each of grated nutmeg, ground cloves and ground cinnamon.

For the Stuffing

225 g/ 8 oz soft fine breadcrumbs; 25 g/ l oz chopped parsley; grated rind of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon of juice; 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme and marjoram; 1 tablespoon grated onion; 75 g/ 3 oz pure vegetable margarine.

1. Set oven to 200C /400 F/ Gas Mark 6. Have ready a large baking sheet.
2. Fry the onion in margarine for 10 minutes, until soft but not browned.
3. Remove from heat and add the rest of the nut roast ingredients, seasoning well. Make sure the mixture is moist enough: you may need to add 3-4 tablespoons of water.
4. Make the stuffing by mixing all the ingredients together to make a soft mixture which holds together. Season carefully.
5. Roll pastry out on a floured board to a rectangle 30 x 35cm/12 x 14 inches.
6. Form the stuffing into a sausage about 25cm/10 inches long and place down the middle of the pastry.
7. Pile the nut roast mixture all over the stuffing, covering it completely.
8. Fold the ends of the pastry up to enclose the nut mixture completely. Tuck in the ends, then place on the baking sheet with the join underneath.
9. Make one or two steam-holes, decorate with pastry trimmings, brush with Soya milk. Bake for 30 minutes, until crisp. Garnish with clementine halves filled with cranberries and thyme sprigs.

3. MUSHROOM AND NUT LOAF (SERVES FOUR)

A nut loaf which can be made with any type of nuts, each producing an entirely different flavour - don’t be afraid to experiment. It freezes well cooked or uncooked, although a slightly better result is obtained if frozen uncooked. (Thaw overnight in the fridge). Serve with your favourite vegetarian sauce or gravy, or cranberry sauce.

8 oz ground nuts (cashew/hazel/brazil/walnut); 4 oz whole-meal breadcrumbs; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (optional); 4 oz sliced mushrooms (optional); 1 tbsp. sunflower oil; 2 tbsp. corn-flour mixed with a little water; or 1 beaten free-range egg; 1 tsp. mixed herbs; 1 tsp. Vecon, Marmite or yeast extract; ¼ pint boiling water; salt and pepper.
METHOD:

1. Heat oil and fry onion and garlic until soft.
2. Place onions and garlic into a large bowl. Add all other ingredients (except mushrooms) and mix very well.
3. Slice and cook the mushrooms separately.
4. Line a 1 lb. loaf tin with vegetable margarine or greaseproof paper and spoon in the mixture, putting in a layer of mushrooms in the middle.
5. Cover with foil and cook Gas 4/350°F/180°C for 1 hour.

4. CROWN NUT ROAST Serves 12

350 g/ 12 oz (3 medium) onions, finely chopped; 15 m1/1 tbsp. Soya oil; 675 g/ l lb. 8 oz mixed nuts; 350 g /l2 oz soft white bread, crusts removed; 45 m1/ 3 tbsp. tahini; 45m1 / 3 tbsp. plain whole-meal flour; 180 m1/ 6 fl oz Soya milk; 5 m1/ 1 tsp. white pepper; 5 m1/ 1 tsp. nutmeg; 2.5ml / ½ tsp. ground cloves; 2.5 ml/ ½ tsp. salt;.

Spinach layer:

275 g/ 10 oz frozen spinach, cooked as directed on packet and well drained (cook with a clove of crushed garlic, if liked.)

Chestnut layer:

225 g/ 8 oz tin unsweetened chestnut purée blended with 15 g/ ½ oz melted butter or vegetable maragarine; l5 ml/1 tbsp. red wine; 25 g/ l oz fine breadcrumbs; salt and pepper to taste.

To garnish:

175 g/ 6 oz cranberry sauce; whole chestnuts (see Red Wine Gravy recipe); bunch watercress.

Gently fry onion in Soya oil until soft. Grind nuts, bread and cooked onion together in a food processor or coffee grinder, to a fine consistency. Mix tahini, flour, Soya milk, pepper, nutmeg, cloves and salt to a paste. Add to the nut mixture and combine thoroughly. The mixture will be fairly stiff, should hold together well, and be slightly sticky. Mix together the chestnut layer ingredients until thoroughly combined. Line tin with non-stick baking parchment. Divide nut mixture into four, and spinach into two. Place mixtures in alternating layers (nut, spinach, nut, chestnut, nut, spinach, nut). Use a plastic spatula to press each layer down very smoothly, especially into the corners and sides of the tin. Cook at 150°C/ 300°F/ Gas 2 for 45 minutes, increase to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas 6 and cook for a further 15 minutes to give a nice crust. Turn out and decorate top of roast with cranberry sauce and whole chestnuts. Brush chestnuts and sides of roast with a little cranberry sauce or gravy to give a shine. Garnish serving plate with sprigs of watercress.

5. Gravy with Sherry

The sherry gives a good flavour, but can be left out if you prefer.

600 m1/ 1¼ pints water; 3 teaspoons vegetarian stock powder; 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 1½ tablespoons red currant jelly; 3 teaspoons potato flour or corn flour; 1½ tablespoons orange juice; 1½ tablespoons sherry; salt and freshly ground black pepper.