Festive layered loaf

Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 300g Quorn mince or frozen vegan mince
• 2 tbsp mild curry paste
• 30g breadcrumbs
• 3 drops of almond essence
• 2 tbsp water
• ½ tsp dried rosemary
• 50g toasted chopped hazelnuts
• 250g ready to eat prunes, finely chopped
• 4 free range eggs, beaten or for a vegan alternative 1 tbsp gram flour mixed with 4 tbsp water
• 1 orange, skin removed and finely sliced
• 1 jar roasted red peppers or 1 red pepper roasted and skin removed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Line a loaf tin (20 cm x 12cm x 6cm) with greaseproof paper.

2. Gently fry onions in olive oil for 5 minutes then add the garlic and mince and continue to cook for 10 minutes.

3. Add the curry paste, breadcrumbs, almond essence, water, rosemary, half the prunes and hazelnuts, stir and remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then add the beaten eggs or gram flour mixture, stir and season with salt and pepper.

4. Line the base of the loaf tin with sliced orange.

5. Put half of the mixture into the tin then a layer of red peppers. Top up the tin with the remaining mince mixture.

6. Then place a layer of the remaining prunes on top of the mixture. Cover the loaf with greaseproof paper and bake for 30-40 minutes.

7. Carefully lift out the loaf, invert so that the orange slices are at the top and serve as a festive centrepiece.

Our thanks to The Vegetarian Society for providing this recipe. Click here for more vegetarian Christmas recipes.