Port and Stilton Pate - vegetarian Christmas recipes

Ingredients
55g/2oz butter or vegetarian margarine
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
60ml /2fl oz port
½ lemon, zest only
125g/4oz vegetarian Stilton, crumbled
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Method - vegetarian Christmas recipes
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently sweat the spring onions until soft; add the port and simmer gently for 3 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
3. Transfer to a blender and process until the mixture has bound. Check the seasoning.
4. Divide between individual ramekins and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with melba toast.

Chestnut Bourguignon pie - vegetarian Christmas recipes

Ingredients
125g/4oz dried chestnuts, soaked for 6-8 hours
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 tsp/5ml dried rosemary
210ml/7fl oz vegetarian red wine
300ml/10fl oz vegetable stock or water
25g/1oz butter or soya margarine
8 small pickling onions or shallots, peeled
125g/4oz chestnut mushrooms, wiped
125g/4oz button mushrooms, wiped
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2-3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper
fresh parsley, finely chopped
225g/8oz vegetarian puff pastry, thawed if frozen

Method - vegetarian Christmas recipes
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Place the soaked chestnuts, herbs and 150ml/5fl oz of wine in a saucepan with vegetable stock to cover and cook until just tender - approximately 50-60 minutes. Drain the chestnuts, reserving the liquid.
3.Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the onions until slightly browned.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the chestnuts, the remaining red wine and sufficient chestnut cooking liquor to cover.
6. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes to reduce the liquid a little.
7. Stir in the mustard, tamari and black pepper to taste. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
8. Check seasoning and adjust as necessary.
9. Spoon the mixture into a pie dish. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and place on top of filling.
10. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.

Galette of potatoes and exotic mushrooms - vegetarian Christmas recipes

Ingredients
50g/2oz butter or vegan margarine
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp fresh sage and thyme, finely chopped
450g/1lb mixed mushrooms, sliced
450g/1lb potatoes, very thinly sliced (like making potato crisps!)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
melted butter, vegan margarine
or olive oil for brushing

To serve:
cranberry or redcurrant sauce
sprigs of parsley

Method - vegetarian Christmas recipes
1. Preheat the oven to 230C/475F/Gas 9.
2. Melt the butter or margarine in a frying pan and gently fry the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes.
3. Mix in the chopped sage and thyme and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Grease a 22cm/9in loose-bottomed flan ring and layer up the potato slices and mushroom mixture, starting and finishing with a layer of potatoes and seasoning each layer as you go.
5. Brush the final layer of potatoes with melted butter or margarine and cover with foil.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 1-1¼ hours until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Let the galette stand for 5 minutes before loosening with a palette knife and sliding onto a serving plate.
7. Warm a little cranberry or redcurrant sauce through gently in a saucepan and spoon onto the plate around the galette.
8. Garnish with parsley and serve with seasonal vegetables and a green vegetable stir fry.

vegetarian Christmas recipes