Celeriac, hazelnut & truffle soup

Serves 6

 

Rustle up this healthy vegan celeriac and hazelnut soup as a starter on Christmas Day. Truffle oil adds a bit of luxury, or leave it out for a simple supper on a winter's night

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• small bunch thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 fat garlic clove, chopped

• 1 celeriac(about 1kg), peeled and chopped

• 1 potato(about 200g), chopped

• 1lt veg stock (check the label to ensure it’s vegan)

• 100ml soya cream

• 50g blanched hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp truffle oil, plus an extra drizzle to serve

 

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a low heat. Tie the thyme sprigs and bay leaves together with a piece of string and add them to the pan with the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 10 mins until softened but not coloured.

2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the celeriac and potato. Give everything a good stir and season with a big pinch of salt and white pepper. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, and simmer for around 30 mins until the vegetables are completely soft.

3. Discard the herbs, then stir through the cream, remove from the heat and blitz until completely smooth. Stir through 1/2 tbsp truffle oil at a time and taste for seasoning – the strength of the oil will vary, so it’s better to start with less oil and add a little at a time.

4. To serve, reheat the soup until piping hot, then ladle into bowls and top with the hazelnuts, some black pepper and an extra drizzle of truffle oil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Bundles

Serves 4-6

 

• 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed (about 20 spears)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

• Pinch salt

• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

• 4 to 6 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon (1 slice per asparagus spear)

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Lay the asparagus on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper.

3. Roast until cooked and starting to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and transfer to another baking sheet to cool. Once the asparagus have cooled, wrap each spear in a slice of smoked salmon.

5. Arrange on a serving platter and serve at room temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

 

Berry trifle

Serves 8

 

• 4 sheets leaf gelatine

• 500g raspberries

• 40g fruity loaf, broken into small pieces

• 2 tablespoons fresh apple juice

• 400g fat-free custard powder

• 100g blackberries

• 300g fat-free Greek yoghurt

• 15g dark chocolate

 

1. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes or until softened.

2. Meanwhile, put the raspberries into a pan with 250ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Mash the raspberries until completely broken down. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean jug, then stir through the gelatine until dissolved. Pour into a trifle bowl and chill.

4. Once the jelly is set, make the custard with 300ml boiling water and set aside to cool.

5. Meanwhile, layer the fruit loaf on top of the jelly and drizzle over the apple juice. Spoon over the custard and spread into an even layer.

6. Arrange the blackberries over the custard and top with yoghurt.

7. Finely grate the chocolate on top and serve.

 

 

Top tip

Use sugar-free raspberry jelly if you don't have time to make your own.

 

 

​

​

​

​

​

 

Mince pie apples

SERVES: 6

 

• 3 eating apples, such as Braeburns

• 40g sultanas

• 20g dried cranberries, finely chopped

• 1 carrot, peeled and grated

• 1 orange, zest only

• ½ teaspoon golden syrup

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Pinch of nutmeg

• 15g flaked almonds

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Fan 180ºC.

2. Halve the apples and scoop out the core, plus a little of the apple flesh to create space for the filling. Lay the apple halves on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, mix together the sultanas, cranberries, carrot, orange zest, golden syrup and spices, and set aside.

4. Remove the apples and scoop a tablespoon of the fruit mixture into each apple half. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the apple halves and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the apple is soft. Serve immediately on their own, or with low-fat natural yoghurt.

Top tip

Raisins, prunes and dried apricots also work well in this dessert.

 

 

 

​

​

​​

 

​

​

 

 

 

Pea Pesto Crostini

Serves 4-6 

 

• 1 (285g) package frozen peas, defrosted

• 1 garlic clove

• 50g grated Parmesan, or vegetarian alternative

• 1 tsp salt, plus extra for seasoning

• 5 tbsp olive oil

• 8 (1cm thick) slices brown baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day-old, * see Cook's Note

• 5 tbsp olive oil

• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 small tomato, diced

 

1. For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, one teaspoon of salt and quarter teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about one to two minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

2. For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with olive oil and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 mins. Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread one to two tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.

3. Top with tomato halves and serve.
   
   *Cook's note: If you don't have day-old bread on hand, you can dry out fresh bread by putting the slices in a preheated 150°C/ gas mark 2 oven until slightly crisp, about five mins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roast potatoes with paprika

Serves 6

 

Make roast potatoes that are tasty and healthy. Smoked paprika adds flavour and we have a top tip for a crispy finish. Ideal for Sunday lunch, or Christmas Day

 

• 1½ kg floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper, King Edward or Desirée), peeled and cut into halves or quarters, depending on size

• 100ml olive oil

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

 

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Add the potatoes to a pan of cold salted water, bring to a boil, simmer for 5 mins until partly tender. Drain and steam dry for a few mins in a colander.

2. Return the potatoes to the saucepan, and add the oil, paprika and plenty of salt and pepper. Cover with a lid, then shake the pan around to roughen the edges of the potatoes and thoroughly coat them in the paprika and oil. Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin, making sure they are evenly spaced apart. Scrape in all the fluffy potato mess – these make the best crispy bits!

3. Roast the potatoes for 1 hr 15 mins, turning halfway, until extremely fluffy and crisp.

 

 

 

 

​

​

​

 

 

 

Roasted stuffed cauliflower

Serves 6

 

Need an alternative to nut roast for veggies and vegans on Christmas Day? Try this festive and filling cauliflower roast stuffed with kale and chestnuts

• 1 large or 2 small cauliflowers (about 850g)

• 5 tbsp olive oil

• 4 tbsp breadcrumbs

For the stuffing

• 250g kale, chopped

• 1 tbsp milled linseed

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• ½ small pack sage, leaves chopped

• ½ small pack rosemary, leaves chopped

• 150g cooked chestnuts, finely chopped, plus 30g for the topping

• 2 lemons, zested

• good grating nutmeg

 

1. Trim and discard the cauliflower leaves. Turn the cauliflower upside-down on a chopping board and use your knife to carefully cut out the stalk and core, leaving a cavity – the florets should still be holding together.

2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Submerge the cauliflower and cook for 7 mins, then remove with two slotted spoons and set aside to steam dry. Add the kale to the pan and cook for a min or so until wilted. Drain, run under cold water to cool. Squeeze out the excess liquid and roughly chop.

3. To make a linseed ‘egg’ (this will bind the stuffing together), mix the ground linseed with 3 tbsp water and set aside for 5-10 mins until gluey. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, then stir in the remaining stuffing ingredients, including the kale, and cook for a min or so more. Remove from the heat and season, put in a blender with 150ml water and the linseed egg and blitz to a thick purée. Transfer to a piping bag.

4. Pipe the stuffing mixture into every nook and cranny of the cauliflower, getting in as much of the purée as you can – see our tip below. Transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment. Can be made up to this point in the morning and kept in the fridge.

5. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the remaining chestnuts with the breadcrumbs and some seasoning. Spoon the remaining oil all over the cauliflower, then pat on the breadcrumb chestnut mix. Roast for 45 mins until golden brown and tender (place under a hot grill for the last part of cooking time if it needs to crisp-up). Serve with any crisp bits that have fallen onto the baking tray.