Cranberry and Chestnut Roast

Whilst I like turkey, I'm not keen on hot turkey and gravy and all the trimmings, I much prefer to eat my turkey cold in a sandwich or salad. Ever since my brother went out with a girl who was a vegetarian back in the late 80's I've really enjoyed a nut roast with my Christmas dinner when I can. 

A couple of years ago (maybe more) I saw a recipe for Cranberry & Chestnut roast on ITV's This Morning programme, made by Lisa Faulkener. It looked really nice so I gave it a go, and it was gorgeous. Nut roasts I've had previously can sometimes be a bit too 'nutty' but this is nutty, fruity, crispy and cheesy all in one bite. It can be eaten as a vegetarian main course or a side to accompany the turkey, instead of a traditional stuffing. I've adapted it slightly here but unfortunately the original recipe is no longer available on the ITV website. You can use any combination of your favourite nuts and could also substitute the cranberries for other dried fruits, I'm going to try apricots next.

Cranberry and Chestnut Roast

25g Butter

2 medium onions, chopped

150g cooked Chestnuts, chopped

75g chopped cashew nuts

75g chopped brazil nuts

75g fresh breadcrumbs

40g dried cranberries

125g Wensleydale cheese, grated

125g Mature cheddar cheese, grated

2 tsp dried Rosemary

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan
• Add the onion & fry for 4-5 minutes to soften
• Stir in the rest of the ingredients and combine, adding 1 tbps water if it looks too dry
• Spoon into a greased loaf tin and press down - it may look like it's not all going to go in but if you press down it will
• Cook in a preheated 180 C oven for 20-25 minutes