Christmas Cranberry and Nut Loaf

IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!! Well nearly but it is the most wonderful time of the year! Even though Christmas is still a little way off, I'm sure you're already thinking about how to make it special. For me, Christmas is all about indulging in delicious food and spending time with loved ones. I love the traditions that come with the festive season - as a child, I always looked forward to leaving a mince pie and a sherry out for Santa, and of course, the carrot for Rudolph. The excitement of opening presents followed by a large dinner with a massive turkey and scrumptious vegetables is something that I will always cherish.

Growing up, our family had mainly vegetarian meals, except for the occasional crab sticks. So, when it came to Christmas, I had to come up with something to replace the iconic turkey. That's when I created a Vegetarian Christmas pie, complete with cut-out holly leaves. At that time, store-bought vegetarian food was scarce, so I had to make everything from scratch. I served it with all the festive trimmings - Brussels sprouts, honeyed parsnips, delicious crunchy roast potatoes, buttery lemony carrots, and the list goes on. This recipe was such a hit that it became a centerpiece of our Christmas Day meal. Although I have been asked to make it on other occasions, I have always kept it as a special Christmas Day memory.

On Boxing Day, we have a lighter lunch and a large buffet in the evening. This year, I'm planning to make a delicious nutty loaf that can be made in advance so that I can take a break from cooking. The loaf is made with walnuts, cashews, and almonds, but you can use any mixed nuts as long as the total weight is the same. We added roasted parsnips, which are a must-have for us during the holidays. We used maple syrup to glaze the parsnips, but you can also use honey. The parsnips should be crispy and gnarly so that they still have some bite after cooking.

We used a food processor to chop the nuts, chestnuts, breadcrumbs, and grate the carrot. This isn't necessary, but it saves a lot of time and effort. If you don't have stale bread, you can toast a slice and blitz it in the food processor to make breadcrumbs. Use any cranberry sauce that you prefer and any leftover sauce can be used to make a delicious brie and cranberry sauce toastie. When you have your mixture ready, make sure that you press it down tightly so that it stays together when sliced.

Adding mace to this recipe is a nice touch as it bridges the sweetness of the parsnips and the savouriness of the herbs and chestnuts. Mace is from the Nutmeg family and has a more peppery taste. If you haven't used it before, add 1 tsp and taste before adding the second. Don't forget to make the sauce - it's the perfect final touch. If there's any leftover loaf, it would work well on your evening buffet.

Ingredients

1 onion finely chopped

1 stick of celery finely chopped

1 Large parsnip( sliced into 1 cm thick strips lengthways)

200g grated carrot

180g cooked chestnuts

50g walnuts

50 g cashew nuts

50g almonds

200 ml veg stock

1-2 slices of bread

100 ml red wine

1 tsp dried sage

15 fresh sage leaves

3 tbs fresh thyme

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp mace ( to taste)

seasoning

FOR THE SAUCE

1 jar of cranberry sauce

zest and juice of 1\2 large orange

1 cinnamon stick

200ml red wine

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200* then cook parsnips for 5 mins till slightly soft.

2. Roast for 20 mins .

3. Meanwhile fry onion and celery for 6 mins with the minced garlic .

4. Add the grated carrot and cook for 5 more minutes.

5. Add the chopped nuts and chestnuts and cook for a few minutes

6. Add the dried spices and cook for 2 mins.

7. Add the stock and wine and the fresh herbs and season well . Simmer for 10 minutes till mixture thickens.

8. Add breadcrumbs till a firm consistency is achieved.

9. Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment.

10. Add a layer of roasted parsnips the bottom of the tin. (see photo)

11. Add half the mixture and press down firmly.

12. Spread a few tbs cranberry sauce on top of the mixture

13. Add the rest of the mixture press firmly down and cook @200 *for 25 minutes

14. While cooking start on the sauce. Add the cranberry sauce, red wine, cinnamon stick, and orange to a pan and cook for 15\20 minutes till thickened.

15. Enjoy and A Very Merry Christmas to you all