3 vegetarian centrepieces to serve up this Christmas

For many households the Christmas lunch will showcase a turkey, but you might also need something for vegetarian guests – or as an alternative in a meat-focussed feast.

Here are some equally impressive meat-free dishes for the Christmas table.

Rick Stein’s camembert and spinach filo pastry slices with a beetroot and pomegranate salpicon

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

250g spinach, washed and drained
3 large sheets of filo pastry (45 x 25cm)
25g melted butter
2 long slices cut from the middle of a Camembert round, each about 75g (check that your Camembert is suitable for vegetarians)
Sesame seeds (optional)
Salt and black pepper

For the beetroot and pomegranate salpicon:
1 shallot, finely chopped
1tbsp olive oil
250g cooked beetroot, cut into small dice
1½tbsp pomegranate molasses
Seeds from 1 small pomegranate (about 80g)
Small handful of parsley, roughly chopped

Method:

1. First wilt the spinach in a pan in just the water that clings to the leaves after washing and draining, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Roughly chop, season well and set aside to cool.

2. To make the salpicon, gently fry the shallot in the olive oil until soft. Add the diced beetroot and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the pomegranate molasses and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature, then stir through the pomegranate seeds and parsley.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/gas mark 5.

4. Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a board and brush it with melted butter. Add two more sheets on top, brushing each with butter. Cut the rectangle into two squares. Place half the spinach on one of the squares, making it about the size of a slice of the cheese. Add a slice of cheese, then wrap to completely encase the cheese in pastry. Make sure there are no holes, or the cheese will leak out. Tuck any ends underneath and brush with butter, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.

5. Place on a baking tray and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden brown and serve with the beetroot and pomegranate salpicon.

Rick Stein’s Food Stories by Rick Stein (BBC Books, £28). Photography by James Murphy.

Nut-roast wreath with sage crisps

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
(Serves 6)

2tbsp vegan butter
1 red onion, diced
½ leek, sliced
1 carrot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
100g mushrooms, diced
100g (50g dry weight) puy lentils, cooked and drained (or use 100g ready-to-use)
150g vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped (you can chop these with the mixed nuts in the food processor)
200g mixed nuts (a combination of macadamias, cashews and pistachios), roughly chopped by hand or in the food processor (use the ‘pulse’ function to avoid them becoming too powdery/fine or use pre-chopped nuts if preferred)
50g dried cranberries or apricots, chopped
8 sun-dried tomatoes from a jar, roughly chopped with scissors
150g breadcrumbs (ideally wholemeal – homemade or shop-bought. Use gluten-free if needed)
1tbsp tomato puree
2tsp yeast extract
1tbsp syrup (for example maple or agave)
300ml vegan stock (use 1 stock cube in 300ml boiling water. Use gluten-free if needed)
Zest and juice of one orange
½tsp ground nutmeg
½tsp allspice
2tsp dried or fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1tbsp dried or fresh thyme leaves
2tbsp nutritional yeast
2tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 4tbsp warm water (this is your flax egg. Use port instead of water if you’re feeling fancy – thank you Dr Justine Butler for this tip!)
1-2tsp salt
¼tsp black pepper

For the sage crisps:
Vegetable oil for frying
20g fresh sage leaves, stalks removed
Salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°F/gas mark 4.

2. Using a large frying pan or wok, heat the vegan butter on a medium heat and sweat the onion, leeks, carrot and garlic until soft.

3. Stir through the mushrooms and heat for five minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Add the lentils, chestnuts, mixed nuts, cranberries, sun-dried tomatoes, breadcrumbs, tomato puree, yeast extract, syrup and stock.

5. Continue to heat on medium until the stock has absorbed, stirring occasionally.

6. Once the stock has absorbed, add the orange juice and zest, nutmeg, allspice, rosemary, thyme, nutritional yeast, flax egg, salt and pepper and combine.

7. Thoroughly coat the inside of a 24cm non-stick bundt/ring cake/decorative tin with a neutral oil (for example rapeseed) then pour in the nut roast mixture, spreading evenly. Press the mixture down firmly.

8. Place a ring of greaseproof paper or foil over the top of the nut roast to stop it browning too quickly. Place in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes or until golden and firm. If it’s not firming up, check after 30 minutes, remove the greaseproof paper ring and bake until golden/firm (but not dried out). After removing from the oven, allow the nut roast to cool slightly before turning it out of the tin.

9. To make the sage crisps, heat approximately 1cm depth of oil in a medium-sized saucepan on a medium-high heat. Wait until the oil has fully heated up before adding the sage leaves in batches. Fry them for around 30 seconds to one minute before removing them with a slotted spoon. Place on kitchen roll.

10. Repeat the process until all the sage leaves have been fried then very lightly sprinkle with salt.

A Very Vegan Christmas by Sam Dixon (Viva!, £5)

Palak paneer wellington

Ingredients:
(Serves 4)

250g paneer
1tsp red chilli powder
½tsp red chilli flakes (optional)
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander
½tsp dried fenugreek leaves
½tsp garam masala
1tsp onion powder
1tsp garlic powder
½tsp chaat masala
2tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2tbsp breadcrumbs
200g spinach
1 egg, separated, yolk whisked
320g sheet puff pastry
To serve: chutney, salad or mashed potato

Method:

1. Grate the block of paneer into a large bowl and add the spices, fresh coriander and breadcrumbs.

2. Place the spinach in a colander in the sink and pour a kettle of boiling water over it to wilt it, then squeeze out any excess water. Finely chop the spinach and add it to the paneer mixture along with the egg white. Mix well by hand until fully combined.

3. Place the mixture onto a sheet of cling film and roll into a tight log. Refrigerate for one hour to firm up.

4. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°F/gas mark 4.

5. Unroll the puff-pastry sheet and place the chilled paneer and spinach log in the centre. Fold the pastry over to encase the filling, sealing the edges, and place seam side down on a lined baking tray. Flatten the pastry slightly to give it more of an oval shape and brush the top with the egg yolk.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and puffed.

7. Slice and serve with chutney and a salad, or with mashed potato.

Tip: The wellington can be frozen before baking. Defrost for at least one hour, then brush with egg wash and bake as directed.

Spice Tonight by Kausar Raja (Ebury Press, £22.00). Photography by Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton.