This is a super tasty classic that is wonderful for Christmas or other meal. Chestnuts are high in carbohydrates and, strangely, very high in vitamin C, essential for the maintenance of blood vessels. Brazils are one of the fattiest nuts, and a rich source of Selenium, wonderful for bone health. Other nuts are great too, a source of protein, as is quinoa (17%). Miso is a fermented food and good for gut flora.
Really herby, everyone will be mmmmm-ing when they arrive in the kitchen, and so delicious they will be ommmming on the way home. Serve with classic Christmas veg and cranberry sauce. My adaptation from the Sivananda Cook Book.
You can see Kate who was one of the participants in a New Years’ Retreat.
rpt
Ingredients to fill a 2lb loaf tin, 4 – 6 people
- 150g quinoa or buckwheat (which is stickier and helps it binds well)
- three sticks celery and two medium carrots chopped fine-ish
- half a medium white cabbage grated
- c 1.5 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon oregano/thyme/rosemary or in combination
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- ground pepper don’t be tempted to add salt though, miso/tamari is rich in salt
- 300g mixed nuts
- 300g chestnuts can be from a packet or fresh ones: cut a nick in the skin and cover with boiling water for 5 minutes then remove the skins and boil for 30 minutes til soft
- 1 tablespoon miso mixed in with c 250ml boiling water OR use reserved stock from fresh chestnuts with two tablespoons tamari
- 3 tablespoons tomato puree
Method
- prepare the loaf tin by greasing with veg marg and lining with greaseproof paper
- put the quinoa/buckwhat with 350ml water in a heavy bottomed pan with its tightly fitting lid on the lowest hob and leave til all the water has been absorbed
- add the veg to the oil in a pan and soften them over 10 minutes stirring and adding in the herbs half way through
- roast the mixed nuts in the bottom of the oven for 10 minutes as you warm it up to 190 C, 170 fan, mark 5, then chop roughly
- chop the chestnuts and add them and the chopped mixed nuts to the fried off veg
- add several turns’ worth of pepper from the grinder
- mix in the tomato puree to either the miso or chestnut/tamari stock and add to the other ingredients enough to bind them.
- push the mix into the corners of the prepared tin and bake for about 45 minutes
Miso gravy
- 25g vegan margerine
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder (from the baking section in the supermarket)
- 300 ml boiled water or stock from having steamed the veg that you are serving with the roast
- 1 full tablespoon miso or 2 tbsp tamari if you don’t have miso
- pepper to taste
- chopped fresh herbs optional – parsley can be fresh
- mix the miso or tamari with the water or stock
- melt the marg over a low heat, stir in the arrowroot eliminating any lumps
- gradually whisk in the stock
- bring to simmering point and stir until the gravy is thick
- add herbs and pepper if using