Mini chestnut nut roasts with sage gravy

Ingredients

For the chestnut bundts

• 3 tbsp butter or dairy-free alternative
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 300g cooked peeled chestnuts (store-bought vacuum-packed is easiest)
• 150g mixed nuts
• 200g breadcrumbs
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• Salt and pepper

For the sage gravy

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tsp plain flour
• 500ml vegetable or mushroom stock
• Salt and pepper

Method

It isn’t a vegetarian Christmas dinner without a nut roast, but this one is extra-special. The individual roasts are cooked in decorative mini bundt pans to make each one a showstopper. The chestnuts and mixed nuts bring wonderful flavor and texture, working perfectly alongside the fresh herbs. The chestnut roasts are quick and easy to prepare, particularly with a Leisure range cooker, which means you can have them cooking in one oven while the rest of the meal cooks in the other ovens and the sage gravy bubbles on the stove.

You can make these roasts a day or two ahead to save time on Christmas day, as you’ll only need to reheat them.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 6-cup mini bundt tray well with cooking oil spray (or grease a baking dish).

Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onions and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

Place the chestnuts and nuts into a food processor and blitz until fine and crumbly. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the onions, breadcrumbs, stock, soy sauce, herbs and salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Press the mixture into the mini bundt pans, ensuring that it gets into all the ridges. Bake for 35-45 minutes (depending on the size of your pans) or until golden on top and cooked through. Allow to cool in the pan completely. Place a large plate or chopping board over the bundt tray and carefully invert to turn out the loaves. Serve warmed up with the gravy poured on top.

*Alternatively, to cook without mini bundt pans, spread the mixture into a large baking dish and cook for 35-45 minutes.

For the sage gravy

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium/low heat, then add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

Pour in the stock, add the salt and pepper, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened and reduced.

Place a fine sieve over a bowl and pour the gravy through it, pressing down to extract as much gravy and flavours as possible.

Created by Veggie Desserts for Leisurecooker.co.uk

By Kate Hackworthy, www.veggiedesserts.co.uk

Visit our Christmas section for more delicious festive favourites