16 EXTRA PAGES OF MEAT-FREE FESTIVE TREATS
Middle Easternspiced nut roast with three-potato topping
In association with California Walnuts
Starters, mains and puds: 10 outstanding recipes to pull out and keep
RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING THE FOOD TEAM
EASIER THAN A QUICHE Sformato with roast grapes, radicchio and olives
PHOTOGRAPHS TOBY SCOTT STYLING WEI TANG
CRISP AND EVEN Avocado and squash tempura with ponzu dipping sauce
HAVING A BALL Mini mushroom and freekeh scotch eggs
UPDATED CLASSIC Three-onion soup with stilton croutons
VEGAN RECIPE
Middle Eastern-spiced nut roast with threepotato topping
SERVES 10. HANDS-ON TIME 25 MIN, OVEN TIME 1 HOUR 20-25 MIN
MAKE AHEAD
Make the day ahead, keep covered in the fridge, then reheat until piping hot in a low oven to serve.
KNOWHOW
Aleppo pepper, or pul biber, is not-too-hot chilli flakes from the Middle East. Buy from Waitrose or souschef.co.uk. If you can’t find it, use a goodquality paprika instead.
Purple sweet potatoes have a rich flavour and creamy texture. If you can’t find them, use another regular sweet potato.
• 5 sweet potatoes (about 575g)
• Oil to drizzle
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 180g pack cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
• 100g dried cranberries
• 50g dried apricots, chopped
• 2 tbsp za’atar spice mix
• 2 tbsp aleppo pepper, plus extra to serve (see Know-how)
• Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
• 250g cooked quinoa
• 100g shelled unsalted pistachios, toasted in a dry pan
• 90g pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• Small bunch fresh dill, chopped, plus extra to serve
• Small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 125g halloumi cheese, grated
• 1 purple sweet potato (from waitrose, Ocado and some greengrocers – see Know-how)
• 1 maris piper potato
YOU’LL ALSO NEED…
• 23cm springform cake tin, greased, base lined with non-stick baking paper
USEFUL TO HAVE…
• Mandoline
1 Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 6. Peel 4 of the sweet potatoes and slice into 1cm rounds. Spread evenly on a large roasting tray, drizzle with oil, season, then roast for 30 minutes.
2 Heat another drizzle of oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the onion. Cook gently for 8 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the cumin, coriander and cinnamon and cook for a final 2 minutes, then put in a mixing bowl. Add the chestnuts, cranberries, apricots, za’atar, aleppo pepper, lemon zest and juice, quinoa, pistachios, pine nuts, pomegranate molasses, dill and parsley. Season generously, then stir in the eggs and grated halloumi until combined.
3 Layer half the roast sweet potato in the base of the prepared tin, then spoon half the spicy chestnut filling over the top. Repeat with the rest of the roast sweet potato and filling and press down firmly.
4 Peel the remaining sweet potato, purple sweet potato and maris piper potato, then slice thinly (about 2mm thick) with a mandoline or sharp knife. Toss with olive oil and salt, then layer tightly on top of the filling, overlapping the slices as you go and creating an attractive mix of colours.
5 Weigh the topping down with a casserole lid wrapped in baking paper and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and crisp.
6 Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tin. Remove and serve sprinkled with extra dill and aleppo pepper.
PER SERVING 428kcals, 20.8g fat (4.3g saturated), 12.6g protein, 44.1g carbs (17.3g sugars), 0.7g salt, 7.4g fibre
WINE EDITOR’S CHOICE A peachy southern French viognier.