Welsh chef, Gaz Oakley, well-known for his vegan and vegetarian recipes has released another cook book, Vegan Christmas.
Here is a taster of what the book holds:
Stuffed squash roast
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
⋇1 large butternut squash, washed and cut in half
⋇olive oil
For the glazed onions
⋇2 red onions, finely sliced
⋇3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
⋇5 tbsp organic coconut sugar
For the Christmas rice:
⋇150g wild rice, cooked
⋇75g dried apricots, chopped
⋇150g mixed nuts, chopped
⋇pinch of cayenne pepper
⋇pinch of paprika
⋇juice of ½ lemon
⋇pinch of sea salt and pepper
⋇pinch of dried sage
For the sautéed mushrooms:
⋇160g fresh mushrooms
⋇1 tsp roasted garlic powder
⋇sea salt and pepper
⋇5 tbsp cranberry and orange sauce
⋇4 peppers, roasted, skin removed
⋇6 sun-dried tomatoes, re-hydrated
⋇2 handfuls baby spinach
For the cranberry and orange sauce:
⋇300g fresh cranberries
⋇1 tsp grated fresh ginger
⋇1 small cinnamon stick
⋇1 Braeburn apple, grated
⋇200g caster sugar
⋇240ml fresh orange juice
Heat all the ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan over a low heat with the lid on. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often and set aside. Leftover sauce will keep for 4 weeks in the fridge in sealed, sterilised jars.
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180°C.
Split the squash in half lengthways and place cut-side up onto a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes or until just soft.
Meanwhile, make the glazed onions. Heat 3 tablespoons of water in a non-stick saucepan, add the sliced onion and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar, then cook for a further 10 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. Set aside.
Mix the Christmas rice ingredients in a mixing bowl until fully combined, then set aside.
Sauté your mushrooms. Heat 2 tablespoons of water in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic powder and seasoning. Sauté for 5 minutes.
When the squash is cooked and cooled slightly, scoop out the seeds, then scoop out a 2cm channel of flesh and mix that into the Christmas rice mixture. Spoon the cranberry sauce into one of the squash halves, followed by the rice. Top with the peppers, onions, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Place the other squash half on top, tie together with string in three places and roast for a further 15 minutes. Carve and serve straight away.
Coconut bounties
(Makes 8 large bars)
For the filling
⋇180g desiccated coconut
⋇160ml coconut cream
⋇125g coconut oil
⋇4 tbsp coconut honey or maple syrup
⋇1 tsp vanilla bean paste
For the coating:
⋇2 x 100g bars dairy-free chocolate, chopped.
Line a 23cm square, loose-bottom cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Put all the filling ingredients in your blender and whizz until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Tip the mixture into the lined cake tin and push it into the corners. Press the mixture down with the back of a wooden spoon until it’s level, then pop the cake tin into your freezer to set while you melt the chocolate.
Melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof mixing bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water. When all the chocolate has melted, lift the bowl off the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
Take the chilled filling out of the freezer and slice the coconut into eight bars. Warm your knife under hot water before slicing each time to make this easier.
Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Use a fork to dip the coconut pieces individually in the chocolate, shake off any excess chocolate and place them on the lined tray. Once you’ve coated all the pieces, pop them in the fridge to set for 2 hours.
