Christmas celebrations - Demuths Vegetarian Cookery … meat-based gathering, take your veggie dish with you, as that will make the day less stressful for your host – and guarantee

ABOUT RACHELChef-proprietor of the award-winning Demuths restaurant in Bath for 25 years, Rachel is now dedicated to running the Demuths Vegetarian Cookery School, which offers a range of themed workshops, guest chef events, cookery holidays in France and Italy, and the Demuths Vegetarian and Vegan Diplomas for professional chefs and keen cooks. As a well-travelled foodie, Rachel loves to combine her passion for global cuisine with the best of locally grown produce.www.demuths.co.uk

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Christmas is all about colour and engaging the senses – from the twinkling lights on the tree to the deep red of a warming glass of mulled wine, from bright orange satsumas and vibrant pink pomegranates in the fruit bowl, to deep green holly adorning the front door. It’s the season of rich colour and a comforting feeling of abundance and good will.

To make your table look as good as your decorations, and give everyone that wonderful sense of anticipation when the food is served, I always recommend cooking dishes that show off the simple, natural beauty and flavours of the season’s most colourful ingredients. While also pleasing your guests, from the strict vegan to the committed carnivore and everything in between, seasonal vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, celeriac, squash and beetroot have the added advantage of being budget-friendly too, leaving you a little extra to splash out on a special bottle of bubbly or some decadent organic chocolates to serve with coffee – it is Christmas, after all!

The holiday season is often the one time of year when you may have to cook for a large number of people in one sitting, or over a few days. With this in mind, I like to make large centrepiece dishes that can easily feed eight people, with leftovers for Boxing Day. All the festive dishes I’ve created can be made in advance and then heated up on the day, which allows the chef time to focus on other things, including relaxing with family and friends. As you may have to cater for different age groups and tastes, I’ve included vegan and gluten-free choices too.

One of the biggest mistakes when hosting is trying to do everything yourself. Don’t feel guilty about asking a guest to bring a side dish or if they have a special diet to bring a dish with them. On the day, do ask your

guests to help set the table or serve the drinks and nibbles. Chances are they truly want to help, and it’s a lovely way to spend time together. If you’re the one travelling to a meat-based gathering, take your veggie dish with you, as that will make the day less stressful for your host – and guarantee you have a delicious meal too. Make extra as well, because the other guests are sure to want to try your vegetarian feast!

StartersRoasted beetroot, cream cheese and hazelnut tartlets These festive tartlets also make great canapés for parties if made slightly smaller. There are super-quick shortcuts to making these in no time at all using vacuum-packed beetroot and ready-roasted hazelnuts, and you can vary the toppings for a colourful twist.

Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 10 mins

pack of ready-rolled puff pastry1 free-range egg yolk, for brushing100g cream cheese3 tbsp finely sliced chivessea salt and black pepper, to taste2 medium-sized cooked beetroot30g roasted hazelnuts

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Brush a couple of baking trays with oil or line with baking parchment.2 Place the puff pastry on a floured surface. Using a large knife, cut out eight squares each measuring 8cm x 8cm. Use a smaller knife to score a 1cm margin to make an inner square, being careful to not cut all the way through the pastry. Brush the outer edge

There’s always a real sense of occasion when the centrepiece dish is served on Christmas Day. Whether you’re hosting a completely meat-free menu or you have veggie and vegan guests to consider, Rachel Demuth has created a selection of delicious starters and show-stopping main courses that are guaranteed to add the wow factor to your festive gathering.

Christmas celebrations

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lightly with egg yolk. Place on the baking trays and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until risen and golden. Allow to cool. 3 When cool, run the tip of a knife along the scored square mark and remove the top layers of the inner piece of pastry. Now they are ready to fill.4 Mix the cream cheese with the chives, salt and pepper, reserving a teaspoon of chives to sprinkle on top. Divide the cream cheese between the pastry cases.5 Cut one beetroot into eight small wedges and the other into eight slices. Place a beetroot wedge and a slice on top of each tart and sprinkle over the roasted hazelnuts and the reserved chives.n PER SERVING 381 cals, fat 26g, sat fat 14g, carbs 28g, sugars 8g, protein 8g, salt 0.72g, fibre 3g

Replace the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and use a vegan cream cheese, like Tesco Free

From. Don’t forget to check that your pastry is dairy-free too!

GET CHRISTMAS SORTEDAt Demuths Cookery School we run lots of day and evening courses to help you plan and learn how to make a complete Christmas lunch, to take the stress out of the actual day – and the recipes we choose are different every year. Don’t forget that Demuths gift vouchers make great Christmas presents for foodie friends too.www.demuths.co.uk

OTHER FILLING IDEASl Cubes of roasted squash with toasted

pine nuts, chopped parsley and feta.l Blue cheese cubes with finely sliced

fennel, dressed with lemon and olive oil.

l Sautéed wild mushrooms with garlic and tarragon.

l Cannellini beans with chopped sundried tomatoes, grated vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese and basil.

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ROASTED BEETROOT, CREAM CHEESE AND HAZELNUT TARTLETS

Chef’slarder

PREP TIPSThe pastry cases can be made days in advance, just keep in an airtight container and crisp up in the oven for a few minutes if they go soft.


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Sweet potato, chestnut and sesame balls These versatile baked little balls make a lovely starter served with cranberry relish, and are also great as a party nibble, or they can be served as stuffing balls alongside a main Christmas lunch. They are very easy to make, and can be prepped in advance.

Serves 8 | Prep 1 hr | Cook 15 mins

500g sweet potatoes120g cooked chestnuts2 cloves garlic, chopped2 tsp tahini1½ tsp ground cumin1½ tsp ground coriander1 tbsp chopped sage leaves2 tbsp chopped parsley1 tbsp lemon juice¼ tsp saltpinch of black pepper1½ tbsp gram flour, sifted4 tbsp white sesame seeds, for rolling

olive oil, for roastingcranberry relish, to serve (see recipe, right)

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Bake the sweet potatoes whole in their skins for about 40 minutes, until soft. Leave to cool, then peel and mash. Weigh out 450g of the mashed sweet potato.2 Chop the chestnuts well with a knife, leaving a few larger pieces for texture. Mix the chestnuts with the sweet potato, chopped garlic, tahini, ground cumin and coriander, sage, parsley and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste, then mix in the gram flour.3 Shape the mixture into 24 small balls and roll each one in the sesame seeds. Place on an oiled lined tray, drizzle more oil over the top and bake for 15 minutes until golden. 4 Serve three balls per person, alongside the cranberry relish.n PER SERVING 167 cals, fat 8g, sat fat 1g, carbs 18g, sugars 5g, protein 4g, salt 0.21g, fibre 4g

SWEET POTATO, CHESTNUT AND SESAME BALLS

CRANBERRY RELISH 225g fresh cranberries150ml water4 cardamom pods½ cinnamon stick2 cloves2 star anisepeel and juice of ½ lemon100g caster sugar

Place the cranberries in a saucepan with the water. Add the spices and lemon peel and bring to the boil. Simmer gently until about half the berries have popped. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often until all the sugar has dissolved. Serve cold. The relish will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.


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MainsChristmas wreath with brandied mushroom and chestnut filling Our favourite vegan traditional centrepiece is full of umami flavours, making it the perfect replacement to a traditional roast at Christmas. Served with all the trimmings it has a real wow factor and can be made well in advance, and even enjoyed the next day thinly sliced in a sandwich or as part of a cold buffet. For a gluten-free variation, you can make the dish without the pastry and just use tamari instead of shoyu for the glaze

Serves 8 | Prep 1 hr + pressing and chillingCook 50 mins

3 x 400g packets of tofu10 cloves garlic3 tsp salt½ tsp black pepper2 tbsp sesame oil (untoasted)30ml lemon juice¼ tsp finely grated lemon zest8 tbsp nutritional yeastpack of ready-rolled puff pastry1 tbsp olive oil, for glazing

For the brandied mushroom and chestnut filling:1 tbsp olive oil1 small onion, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, finely chopped250g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped75ml white wine1½ tbsp brandy125g cooked chestnuts, crumbled½ tbsp shoyu¼ tsp herbes de Provence2 tbsp chopped parsleysea salt and black pepper

For the shoyu glaze:2 tbsp sesame oil (untoasted)1 tsp toasted sesame oil2 tbsp shoyujuice of 1 orange2 tbsp maple syrup

1 Wrap the tofu blocks in a clean tea towel, put a heavy weight on top and leave overnight in the fridge to remove the excess liquid.2 Blend the garlic with the salt, pepper, sesame oil, lemon juice and zest, then add one pack of the tofu and the nutritional yeast to make a smooth paste. Mash this blend in with the rest of the tofu using your hands, so the flavour is evenly dispersed and the mixture is not too lumpy.


Chef’slarder

3 Line a 25cm diameter ring mould with a large square of muslin, leaving plenty of overhang around the outside. Press the tofu into the mould and fold the muslin over the top. Weight it down by placing a heavy chopping board or large pan on top to compact the tofu, then place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.4 Meanwhile, make the mushroom filling. Heat the oil and fry the onion for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and fry for a minute, then add the mushrooms and fry until they have released their juices. Stir in the wine and brandy and cook for a minute, then add the chestnuts, shoyu and herbs. Cook gently, until the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is thick and not wet. Add the parsley and season with salt and plenty of black pepper to taste.5 Scoop the middle out of the tofu ring, making a trough, and add the mushroom filling. Press the scooped-out tofu back on top, which should be slightly domed up above the top of the ring mould, then press again with the weight and place the ring back in the fridge for 30 minutes.6 Meanwhile, make the shoyu glaze. Boil all the ingredients together for a few minutes to reduce and thicken. Allow to cool.7 Turn the tofu out onto a large tray lined with baking parchment and remove the muslin. Brush the shoyu glaze all over – it should be thick enough to stick to the tofu without dripping. Chill the tofu again in the fridge while you prepare the pastry.8 Unroll the puff pastry and cut three-quarters of it into long 1cm-wide strips. Cut the remaining pastry with holly-leaf and star-shaped cutters. Keep the pastry chilled, taking each strip directly from the fridge as you go to make it easier to work with.9 Lay the pastry strips across the ring of tofu, criss-crossing to create a lattice effect, trimming the ends as needed. Twist a few strips and lay them along the top, following the line of the ring, and lay some around the base to line both the inner and outer edges of the ring. Finally, decorate the wreath with the holly leaves and stars, placing them particularly over the joins of pastry.10 Brush the pastry with olive oil and bake in the oven at 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 for 40 minutes, until the pastry is puffed up and a deep golden colour. To serve, decorate with fresh bay leaves, fresh rosemary and frozen cranberries to give a festive look.n PER SERVING 508 cals, fat 30g, sat fat 10g, carbs 27g, sugars 7g, protein 25g, salt 2.84g, fibre 6g

Festive filo rotolo Rotolo is an Italian dish, traditionally made with sheets of rotolo pasta (the word rotolo means ‘roll’). Our festive version gives you a delicious centrepiece for Christmas lunch stuffed with three different fillings, and served alongside roasted veg. You can also slice it thinly and serve as a starter.

Serves 8 | Prep 1 hr | Cook 1 hr 10 mins

pack of filo pastry (7 sheets)melted butter, to brush the pastry2 tbsp sesame seeds

For the roasted squash filling:1 medium squash (about 700g when prepped), peeled and cut into 1cm cubes1 tbsp olive oil6 sprigs of thyme1 bulb garlic1 tsp pink peppercornssea salt1½ free-range egg yolks

For the spinach filling:250g bag of spinach1 tbsp sunflower oil1 tsp brown mustard seedsgrated nutmeg, to tastesea salt and black pepper100g vegetarian feta, roughly crumbled½ free-range egg yolk

For the artichoke and walnut filling:50g walnut halves1 tbsp olive oil½ tsp smoked paprika½ tsp Maldon salt100g artichoke heartssmall handful of flat-leaf parsley1 tbsp lemon juice

For decoration:8 pecans2 tbsp maple syrup12 large dried cranberriesa few sprigs of thyme, sage and rosemary

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Toss the squash with the olive oil and thyme. Halve the garlic bulb through the middle and


PREP TIPSThe wreath can be made a day or two in advance and baked directly from the fridge. Once baked, you can turn the oven down to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 to keep it warm until ready to serve. It will keep for 4 days in the fridge once baked.

CHRISTMAS WREATH WITH BRANDIED MUSHROOM AND

CHESTNUT FILLING


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Chef’slarderplace cut-side down on a baking tray with the squash. Grind the pink peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and stir into the squash. Roast for 30–40 minutes until the squash is soft and starting to caramelise at the edges. Stir it a few times during cooking. 2 Meanwhile, prepare the spinach and the artichoke fillings. Wash the spinach in a colander and while still wet put in a pan with a lid. Heat gently, stirring often until the spinach starts to wilt, then cover for a couple of minutes so the spinach is completely wilted. Transfer to a sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as you can with the back of a spoon. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and nutmeg. When the seeds begin to pop, add the spinach and stir well. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the feta and egg yolk. Set aside.3 Toss the walnut halves in the olive oil and add the smoked paprika and salt. Tip onto a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then break up the walnuts in a pestle and mortar. Chop the artichokes and parsley finely, then stir them into the walnuts. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and stir well. Set aside.4 Once the squash is cooked, remove any thyme stalks, squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin and roughly mash it into the squash. Taste and season with salt, then mix in the egg yolks.5 To construct the rotolo, place a large piece of foil on a work surface. Place a sheet of filo pastry on top of the foil in a landscape position, and brush with butter. Lay a second sheet above the first with a 10cm overlap. Brush the second sheet with butter. Sprinkle the sesame seeds all over the filo. Layer two more whole sheets of filo pastry on top in the same way, then another two. Make sure you brush butter in between each layer, finishing with the top of the last sheet.6 Spread the roasted squash over the central area of the bottom piece of filo into a rectangle 30cm x 15cm. Spread the spinach evenly over the top of the squash, leaving a 1cm margin of squash around the four edges. Place the artichoke mixture down the middle on top of the spinach in a long sausage shape.7 Working carefully and using the foil to help you, start to roll up the rotolo. Make sure the artichoke stays as a central sausage shape and the squash mixture meets to create a round shape. Roll halfway up the filo length, then gently and loosely tuck in both ends of the pastry to seal in the fillings, folding the filo in by 5cm, then continue to roll up the length. When you come to the end of the filo you should have a tidy round sausage shape.

8 Use the foil to lift the rotolo onto a baking tray. Bake for 40 minutes until golden, checking after 20 and 30 minutes. You may need to cover parts of the filo loosely with the foil as it may brown unevenly. If it is browning all over too quickly, turn the oven down by 10 degrees for the last 10–15 minutes of cooking.9 While the rotolo is cooking, prepare the decoration. Place the pecans and maple syrup in a small saucepan and simmer to reduce and thicken, so the pecans are evenly coated. Tip them out onto parchment and allow to cool.10 When the rotolo comes out of the oven, decorate the top with the pecans, cranberries and sprigs of fresh herbs before serving.n PER SERVING 388 cals, fat 24g, sat fat 7g, carbs 32g, sugars 9g, protein 10g, salt 1.26g, fibre 5g

PREP TIPSThe rotolo can be cooked ahead and reheated on the day, or made up to a day in advance and baked on the day. You can also make it in stages, preparing the fillings up to a day or two in advance, then assembling and baking on the day. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before cooking then bake as per instructions.

Brush the filo with olive oil instead of the melted butter. Swap the eggs in the squash mixture for

1 tablespoon of gram flour and in the spinach filling with ½ tablespoon of gram flour. Replace the feta with a plant-based alternative.

FESTIVE FILO ROTOLO


Carrot, parsnip and cashew terrine This terrine is served hot straight from the oven, and is particularly lovely with stir-fried kale, cavolo nero and purple sprouting broccoli. You can also serve it at room temperature or cold for a buffet, or thinly sliced as a starter.

Serves 8 | Prep 45 mins | Cook 1 hr 25 mins

3 red peppers350g carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm dice 350g parsnip, peeled and cut into 1cm dice2 tbsp olive oil6 cloves garlic, left in their skins4 sprigs of sage 1 tsp Dijon mustard100g strong vegetarian Cheddar cheese, finely grated4 free-range eggs, separated100g cashew nuts, roasted and ground2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley¼ tsp sea saltpinch of black pepper2 tbsp lemon juice3 tbsp mixture of flaked almonds and seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and flax1 tsp pink peppercorns, for decoration

1 Preheat the grill to high. Cut the peppers in half and place skin-side up under the hot grill until the skins blister and blacken a little. Place them in a bowl and cover in cling film. Leave until cool, then peel off the skins.2 Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Place the carrots and parsnips in two separate roasting tins with a drizzle of olive oil, the whole garlic cloves and the sage. Cover loosely with foil and roast for 45 minutes until soft. Remove the sage and squeeze the garlic out of its skin.3 Place the parsnips in one bowl and the carrots in another bowl. Blend each vegetable with half of the Dijon mustard, the cheese and egg yolks. The parsnip mixture will need 2–3 tablespoons of water to achieve a soft enough texture to blend well. Once smooth, stir the ground cashews and chopped parsley into each mixture. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice, to taste.4 Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold half into each vegetable mixture.5 Line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment and brush with olive oil. Cover the bottom with the almond and seed mixture. Spread the carrot mixture into the tin and level, then put in a layer of the red peppers, followed by the parsnip mixture.6 Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Check after 30 minutes and cover loosely with foil if the top is colouring too much. The terrine is ready when it is firm to the touch,

coming away from the sides slightly and golden on top.7 Leave the terrine to cool slightly to finish setting, then turn out and serve. Once turned out, the terrine can be covered in foil and kept warm in a low oven at 130C/fan 110C/ gas ½ until ready to serve.n PER SERVING 286 cals, fat 19g, sat fat 5g, carbs 13g, sugars 8g, protein 12g, salt 0.57g, fibre 6g


PREP TIPSThe terrine can be made up to 2 days in advance and warmed through on the day. Or you can freeze it once baked for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating for 40 minutes at 190C/fan 170C/gas 5, covering with foil as needed.

CARROT, PARSNIP AND CASHEW TERRINE


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Christmas celebrations - Demuths Vegetarian Cookery … meat-based gathering, take your veggie dish with you, as that will make the day less stressful for your host – and guarantee