A Vegetarian Christmas

Vegetarian Christmas

Many allotment gardeners walk away from their plots in the winter as they see gardening as a spring and summer or autumn occupation when harvesting vast amounts of fruit and other produce for preserves or just enjoying. Of course, as long as our plots and gardens are well maintained it is very much the choice of each individual how he/she chooses to garden.

I guess I must have a peasant mentality as I find that, while I certainly grow produce for eating and enjoying during the kinder months [when the living is easy] I plan and work towards the winter months and for the real ‘lean’ months of spring time. Of course, all our planning can come to nothing in very harsh winters when our carefully nurtured brassicas collapse under very harsh winters and it is impossible to hack root vegetables out of deeply frozen ground. For the last two winters my brassicas have been most disappointing and I been forced to resort to my freezer for vegetables stored in the good times or even - whisper it – the vegetable shop or supermarket.

So far, this autumn has been disappointingly wet and stormy and I have not carried out or completed chores which should have been done a month ago. At least I managed to get most of my autumn digging done.

I’m not a vegetarian but, over many years have catered for many friend and family with different dietary needs and choices. My grandson, now aged 13 months is seriously allergic to all dairy and all eggs and egg products, which require a bit of thought and preparation. This Christmas, I will have all of my family at home with me and while I plan to have the traditional roast turkey and spicy roasted gammon, I will also make an ever popular dish in my family – a Nut Roast.

Nut Roast

The time in making of this dish is in the preparation of the ingredients. Once everything is prepared, it takes only a couple of minutes to combine them put the ‘roast’ in the oven. It does take a little effort but I have found this dish to be very popular for Christmas either as the main course or cold with salads and pickles. It has also been very popular at dinner parties when I have been entertaining vegetarians – I have found that given a choice, even some of the meat eaters will opt for the nut roast [perhaps that has something to say about my meat dishes rather than the nut roast but, I’d prefer to think not!]

Replacing the butter with margarine or olive/rapeseed oil and leaving out the egg will also make this dish suitable for vegans however, the roast may break up more easily without the egg to bind it.

Ingredients

400gm [12oz ] mixed nuts chopped finely -  I use a mini chopper which is just brilliant for small quantities of all sorts of stuff from herbs, spices, breadcrumbs, baby food and, of course, nuts. Don’t chop too finely.

[You can use most types of nuts from hazelnuts, peanuts (not salted), Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, pecans but, be sparing with walnuts as they have a very dominant flavour]

1 large onion – peeled and chopped very finely

4 – 5 plump garlic cloves – peeled and chopped

1 good sized leek – trimmed, washed and cut into small pieces

100gm [ 4oz ] butter

1 medium potato – peeled, cooked and mashed

1 small parsnip or part of a larger parsnip – peeled, cooked and mashed

75 gm [3oz] – fine breadcrumbs – from a loaf of fresh or slightly stale bread [not commercial breadcrumbs from a supermarket]

1 lemon [or lime] – grated zest and juice

2 dsp. mixed herbs – preferably fresh [if using dried herbs reduce the quantity – if using frozen increase the quantity] – thyme, sage, marjoram, tarragon, rosemary (use sage and rosemary sparingly as they have a stronger flavour which can swamp your dish.

Lots of chopped parsley – 2 – 3 Tblsp.

Salt and freshly crushed black pepper.

2 tsp – cumin seeds – lightly toasted and crushed

2 medium eggs – beaten

A little vegetable stock – as needed

Method

·         Melt the butter in a pan and ‘sweat’ the chopped onion. Add the chopped garlic, leek and cumin, sweat for another couple of minutes, being careful to not singe the garlic and leek.

·         Add the chopped nuts and mix in well.

·         Add the cooked and mashed potato and parsnip.

·         Add the breadcrumbs lemon zest and juice and thoroughly mix.

·         As the mixture cools down a bit add the salt and pepper, herbs and chopped parsley and the beaten egg.

·         Mix well then add a little stock to the mixture to ensure it is binding together.

·         Put the mixture into a well greased and lined loaf tin [900gm /2lb size]

·         Bake  in oven 180ºC, Mark 5 gas for approximately 1 hour or until brown on top – take care to not burn the top.

·         Turn out. Allow to cool slightly before slicing. Serve with apple or cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly, gravy made form vegetable stock and roast root vegetables and potatoes.

 While I have been known to buy goose fat to make ‘excellent’ roast potatoes and I have even tried Nigella’s semolina coated roast potatoes, I am conscious of the high ‘animal fat’ content of these recipes and I’ve found my own almost as good – with all the other flavours around in Christmas dinner I believe it is the texture which is paramount:

Roast potatoes

Peel the potatoes and cut into even sized pieces. Par-boil in salted water until the outsides of the potatoes are starting to soften. Drain the potatoes and put them into a colander or large sieve and shake them around to ‘roughen’ the outsides. Put into a roasting pan where oil [ my choice is rapeseed oil – I have used olive oil successfully but olive oil has a much lower ‘smoke point’ and this can impart a burnt flavour has been pre-heated to sizzling hot in a hot oven. Coat the potatoes in the oil and return the pan to the oven.  Turn the potatoes occasionally to ensure they are brown and crisp on all sides.

I do like some mash potatoes with Christmas dinner as well as roast but, as a more flavoursome version try this Mustard Mash:

Mustard Mash Potatoes

1 kg [2lb] potatoes – floury potatoes are best

3 good sized tsp whole grain mustard

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

75gm [3oz] grated cheddar cheese

50 gm [2oz] butter

250ml [ ½pt] milk

Method

·         Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into even sized pieces. If you are using floury potatoes, it is best to steam them or they will break apart. Cook until the potatoes are soft all the way through.

·         Mash or put through a potato ricer.

·         While still hot, add the cheese and butter and mix in until well melted.

·         Add the milk, mustard and seasoning and stir in well. Reheat over a low flame to ensure the potato is hot without overcooking the cheese.

·         Serve with a topping of finely chopped parsley.

I think roast parsnips are also an excellent addition to any roast but, they don’t take as long to cook as roast potatoes so add them to the roasting pan a little later, although they do respond well to the same parboiling and ‘roughing’ the outsides as the potatoes. However, my favourite parsnip recipe:

Parsnip Croquettes ( recipe from ‘Gourmet Britain’) - this is a wonderful for all roasted meat dishes. While this is not my recipe it is exactly as I would have made these croquettes when I was at college. Totally delicious!

·         900g/2 lbs Parsnips, peeled and with any hard core removed - cut into pieces

·         225g/8 oz Potato (floury-type), peeled and cut into pieces the same side as the parsnips

·         1 teaspoon (5ml) Salt

• 60g/2 oz Butter
• plenty of freshly-ground Black Pepper
• 1 scant teaspoon (3ml) freshly-grated Nutmeg
• Dried Breadcrumbs
• 2 Eggs, beaten with a little salt
• Oil for deep frying or oil and butter

Method:

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the parsnip and potato pieces.
2. Simmer them for about 20 minutes or until they're tender.
3. Drain the vegetables and pass through a mouli-légume - or mash carefully to remove all lumps.
4. Mix in the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
5. Allow to cool until they"re cool enough to handle then shape them into croquettes a little bigger than a cork.
6. Dip each in the egg wash, then roll them in the breadcrumbs until they are fully covered.
7. Deep-fry at 200°C/400°F until they're golden brown or shallow fry in a mixture of oil and butter.

Squashes and pumpkins have been brilliant this season. I have had over 80 to use or give away [although many of these have been the small ‘hand-full’ varieties like Baby Bear. I still have, after inundating friends and family about 40 to use before they start to go off in the spring [I think a few more recipes for using them would be a good idea! But for Christmas Dinner try this:

Roasted Butternut Squash with Roasted Potatoes

1 – 2 medium onions - red onions for preference – peeled and cut into chunks

½ kilo suitable roasting potatoes – washed, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 medium butternut squash – sliced, peeled and deseeded then cut into chunks

1 garlic bulb – separate the cloves and skin them

A good dollop of top quality olive oil

A good sprinkle of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Some sprigs of rosemary

Method

·         Prepare the vegetables.

·         Heat the oil in a roasting pan until hot - 200ºC, No 6 gas

·         Toss the prepared squash, onions and potatoes in the hot oil.

·         Add the seasoning, herbs and garlic and return to the oven.

·         Cook for a further 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are golden brown and crunchy ( this will depend on the size you have cut them.

·         Serve immediately with any roast meat or with a nut roast.

Note – an excellent choice for Christmas dinner

Roasted Baby Pumpkins

Allow 1 small pumpkin per person

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 plump garlic clove per pumpkin [more if liked] – peeled and crushed or chopped

1 small sprig or a few leaves of rosemary for each half pumpkin

Olive oil

Method

·         Remove the stalk and wash the outside of the pumpkin carefully.

·         Slice the pumpkin in half through the middle, horizontally and scoop out the seeds.

·         Place the half pumpkins on an oven-proof tray or dish. Add the chopped garlic, salt and pepper and a small sprig of rosemary and a spray or a teaspoonful of olive oil.

·         Bake in a moderate oven No5 Gas or 180ºC for approx 30 – 40 minutes. Check with a skewer that the flesh of the pumpkin is properly cooked.

·         Serve immediately.

An Alternative Sweet Mincemeat

Of course you can also add sultanas and raisins to this recipe but, one member of my family does not like those fruits. I have found that she really likes this alternative.

Ingredients

100gms [4oz] chopped dried apricots

100gms [4oz] chopped dates

100gms [4oz] chopped crystallised or glace ginger

100gms [4oz] chopped pistachio nuts
100gms [4oz] chopped glace cherries

2 apples [eating or cooking] – washed and grated off the core

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

50gm soft brown sugar

2 - 3 Tblsp sherry, cointreau or cognac [optional]

Spices can be added or left out, as you wish - ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves.

Method

·         Combine the ingredients in a bowl adding more sherry/cognac/etc if you wish for a more alcohol flavoured mincemeat [the alcohol will dissipate as the mince pies are cooked].

·         This mixture will store successfully in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

·         Use as for commercial sweet mince.

Late September on the allotment

Late September 2012

Isn’t it just wonderful when the only work you have to do with your allotment is to harvest the vegetables then take them home, cook them and eat them. A couple of years ago, as I arrived at the gate of my allotment field in early January, an elderly gentleman, taking a walk along the lane asked me with a tone of some amusement – what work could you possibly do on your allotment at this time of year?  - Well !  I replied,  harvest vegetables for my dinner, isn’t that the purpose of having an allotment? He smiled and nodded in agreement as he walked on.

What to eat from the allotment is always easy and usually into the autumn as well. Having a range of vegetables throughout the winter and into late spring when new crops become available requires a bit more organisation and some luck with the weather – not just throughout the winter but also through the summer when these vegetables are establishing

I do seem to have a definite desire to eat green vegetables, especially of the brassica family. It would seem that many people have to be persuaded to eat this vegetable family as being the most important health wise but, for me, I need no such persuasion. I feel quite wretched without them.

This year has been good for brassicas though, also for slugs and snails which seem to feel the same about brassicas as I do. Of course, I have lost a few cabbages – the snails and slugs have not been content to nosh on the outer leaves but have burrowed well inside which meant that, even when I trimmed off the outer leaves to remove the damage and the slugs themselves, there was little left. It seemed they preferred some plants to others so, I decided to leave their favourites and eat the rest myself – that left everyone happy ...ish!.

I will use slug pellets but, I prefer to use only when really necessary – on seed beds and young plants. I have used slug pellets occasionally through the summer on more mature plants but, only where they have been protected by heavy nets – which should discourage birds from invading the plots. This has not always been successful. I have come to my plot, a few days ago and shocked a female blackbird under my brassica net, with another in my [now open] fruit cage. A young robin has followed me into my brassica ‘cage’ when I was weeding and I had to wait some time before he emerged and flew away so that I could close it up again. I don’t doubt that the blackbird would have escaped from the netting if I hadn’t surprised  and panicked her. These birds do seem to find their way in quite easily but, if the netting is too fine they can get their feet caught in the fibres making escape impossible. Although, in the past, I’ve managed to arrive in time to extricate a variety of birds caught in nets[including a large and angry magpie], usually they will die a slow and distressing death. For this reason I have now dumped all of my fine net for something much more chunky and, it has to be said, much more expensive – this has taken me a little time to afford.c

I am still enjoying summer planted cabbages which are heartening up – not all together – great. Slugs have gone for one of them majorly and I am able to harvest the rest. Golden Acre Primo which I sowed in mid April then again in May. They have been reliably good this year, and even the slug damage can be trimmed off.

I sowed Broccoli Typhoon, a Calabrese variety, like one of those wonderful full green heads you can buy in your local supermarket.

Unfortunately, I can eat one of these heads on my own with my dinner so, they don’t last too long.

I am still harvesting my courgettes though the production is slowing down to a level I can use easily.

Of course, in my poly-tunnel, tomatoes are still producing multiple kilos every week. At least my peppers and chillies are now beginning to ripen usefully and I have been able to make several lots of hot roasted pepper and tomato chutney. Still quite a few to go. I hope it doesn’t get too cold before they all ripen. More chutney and relish making I guess – just as well I have an eager market – my family – for my products.

Do try my recipes for using autumn vegetables.

Cheesey Baked Chicken with leeks and Courgettes

4 trimmed skinless chicken breasts

4 good sized, trimmed, washed and sliced leeks

4 small to medium courgettes – [I am using Orelia which are drier and denser than zucchini]

250 gm trimmed and wiped mushroom of your choice

½ litre milk [1 pint]

Salt and pepper

Sauce

100gm – [4oz] butter

100gm – [4oz] plain flour

½ litre – [1 pt]  milk + the milk/liquid from the cooked chicken fillets

Good bunch chopped parsley

Tsp chopped thyme, tsp, chopped oregano

Salt and pepper

Topping

75gm – [3oz] grated gorgonzola cheese

75gm – [3oz] grated cheddar cheese

Method

·         Prepare the vegetables and arrange over the base of a large, shallow, oven-proof dish.

·         Place the chicken fillets on top.

·         Add the seasoning and the milk. Bake in a moderate oven[180°C – 5 gas] for 25 to 30 minutes.

·         Prepare the sauce – melt the butter then add the flour and cook out [without colour] to ensure the flour is cooked. Gradually add the milk to give a smooth roux then sauce. Add the salt and pepper.

·         Remove the chicken from the oven and drain off the liquid/milk [liquor] into the sauce mixture. Re-arrange the chicken and vegetables in the oven-proof dish.

·         Mix this liquor into the sauce and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Check the seasoning and stir in the chopped herbs. Pour the sauce over the chicken dish, ensuring all of the chicken and vegetables are covered.

·         Sprinkle on the cheeses [ if you prefer make up the quantity with just cheddar cheese]

·         Return to the oven and bake in a moderate oven for a further 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

·         Serve with green vegetables[peas, Brussels sprouts, cabbage] and mashed potatoes [do try mustard mash]

Mustard Mash Potatoes

1 kg [2lb] potatoes – floury potatoes are best

3 good sized tsp whole grain mustard

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

75gm [3oz] grated cheddar cheese

50 gm [2oz] butter

250ml [ ½pt] milk

Method

·         Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into even sized pieces. If you are using floury potatoes, it is best to steam them or they will break apart. Cook until the potatoes are soft all the way through.

·         Mash or put through a potato ricer.

·         While still hot, add the cheese and butter and mix in until well melted.

·         Add the milk, mustard and seasoning and stir in well. Reheat over a low flame to ensure the potato is hot without overcooking the cheese.

·         Serve with a topping of finely chopped parsley.