Readers’ recipe swap: Veggie roast

Growing up in a vegetarian household, I feel well placed to pick meat-free alternatives to Sunday roasts; in fact, the recipe testing for this week’s theme was perfectly timed with Mother’s Day, so the ultimate judge was also present.

The whole roasted cauliflower spiced with smoked paprika and turmeric from TheWholeIngredient was brilliantly simple; perfect as a side dish for everyone or a main for two. Airinie Azhar-Konstantinidou’s butternut squash and chickpea roast (another vegan option) was flavoursome and hearty, and – unusually for a roast – had no nuts and only a handful of breadcrumbs. The potato and mushroom bake from Diane Kitchen included all the best components of Sunday lunch – including wine – while Sus Davy’s aubergine and cabbage rolls were light and delicately spiced.

The winner though, was a hugely appealing take on the tired old nut roast. Beth Gardner’s recipe is packed with ground nuts, artichokes, chestnuts and cheese. Meat eaters and vegetarians (and mothers) will thank you for it.

The winning recipe: white nut roast with artichokes

This is a deliciously moist nut roast that goes brilliantly with a simple bread sauce. Thanks to my best friend’s mum, Maggie McPhee, for providing the original recipe.
Beth Gardner, via GuardianWitness

Serves 8
40g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
225g mixed white nuts (Brazil, macadamia, pine nuts, almonds) ground
125g fresh white breadcrumbs
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
75g sage derby cheese, parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated
125g canned peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
½ 390g can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
Salt and black pepper
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp each of chopped parsley, sage, thyme

1 Melt the butter in a pan and cook onion and garlic for 5 minutes until soft. Put into a large bowl.

2 Add the ground nuts, breadcrumbs, lemon zest and juice, cheese, chestnuts and artichokes. Season with plenty of salt and pepper then mix in the egg. Stir in the chopped herbs. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.

3 Put the mixture on to a sheet of lightly buttered foil and shape into a fat sausage, packing it tightly. Wrap in the foil and leave to cool. (At this stage, the dish can be frozen until needed.)

4 Bake for 25 minutes (or 45 minutes from frozen), then unwrap slightly and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Whole roasted cauliflower

One cauliflower, one tray, and ready in under one hour. This whole roasted cauliflower is delicious, wholesome and so easy to make.
TheWholeIngredient, via GuardianWitness

Serves 2
1 medium cauliflower
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp olive oil

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower using a sharp knife, being careful not to cut into the stalk or florets. Slice off the bottom of the stalk so that the cauliflower can sit evenly on a flat surface, then rinse thoroughly.

2 Place the cauliflower in a baking tray or dish lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with the spices, followed by the oil. Don’t worry too much if it drips down the sides. Cover loosely with foil and cook on the top or middle shelf for 25 minutes.

3 Remove the foil and cook for a further 20 minutes. It will depend on the size of your cauliflower as to how soft it will be, so test with a knife to check it’s to your liking. Cut into wedges, slices or florets and serve.

Butternut squash and chickpea roast

This is a very soft and herby vegetable roast.
Airinie Azhar-Konstantinidou, via GuardianWitness

Serves 6-8
1 medium butternut squash
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit more to coat the foil in the loaf tin
1 tbsp thyme, fresh or dried
1 large red onion, diced
1 large leek, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
200g mushrooms, roughly diced
2 carrots, grated
2 tbsp soy sauce
200g chickpeas
A large handful of parsley, chopped
2-3 tbsp breadcrumbs, preferably thick or panko
1 tsp dried oregano
Juice from ½ a lemon

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways, season with salt, pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp of thyme (from the 1 tbsp), then roast for 40 minutes, or until soft. Then take it out of the oven and leave it to cool.

2 In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on a medium heat then fry the onion until soft. Add the leeks and garlic, cooking until the leeks are soft. Add the mushrooms and grated carrots, then season with the soy sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper and continue cooking until the mushrooms are soft.

3 Finally, add the chickpeas, mashing them lightly with a spoon to break them up slightly, and the parsley, then cook until the liquid has evaporated. The mixture should be quite dry. Taste, and season if needed. Leave to cool.

4 To assemble the roast, scoop out the butternut squash flesh and add it into the cooled vegetables. Add the breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly. Add the lemon juice and the rest of the thyme and the oregano then mix well, using your hands if you like.

5 Line a loaf tin with lightly oiled foil. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, and press down gently. Cover the top with the foil. This will help the roast stay in shape. Bake for about 30 minutes, covered, then remove the foil covering and roast for another 15-20 minutes until it has turned brown. Leave to cool, then serve.

Roasted aubergine cabbage rolls

This is a lovely alternative to a standard veggie roast – perfect for a showstopping Sunday lunch.
Sus Davy, via GuardianWitness

Makes 6-8 rolls
2 aubergines, halved lengthways
2 courgettes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Olive oil
1 tbsp fresh thyme, rosemary or marjoram
Salt and black pepper
1 savoy cabbage
1 tsp ground cumin or cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 Preheat your oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Put the aubergine, courgette, onion and garlic in a baking tray, drizzle with oil and scatter with the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly, but leave your aubergine flesh-side down in the tray.

2 Cover with foil and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the courgette is soft. Then leave to cool.

3 Next, bring a shallow pan of water to the boil. Discard the outer layers of the cabbage, then peel off 6 or 7 leaves, being careful not to break them. Add them to the boiling water and steam (covered) in the pan for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

4 Once cooked, carefully remove the thicker parts of the cabbage spine with a knife (just the lower thicker section). Leave to one side.

5 Scrape the aubergine flesh out of the skin into a food processor, then add the roasted courgette, herbs, onion and garlic. Add cumin or cayenne pepper if desired, then blitz in a food processor for 30 seconds. Add to a bowl and mix in the cannellini beans.

6 Lay the cooked cabbage leaves on a board, then add a large spoonful of the vegetable mixture to the centre of the leaf. Starting at what was the stem-end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls side by side, seam-side down, in a ovenproof dish.

7 Cover then bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Serve on a bed of mash, with a big, warm helping of gravy.

Roast potato and mushroom bake

If there’s no meat what’s the next best thing about a roast? The potatoes, obviously! This recipe went down so well that we even enjoy it when our vegetarian kids are not at home.
Diane Kitchen, Ilkley

Serves 6-8
900g medium potatoes, washed, quartered
90ml olive oil
225g onions, peeled and diced
450g mixed mushrooms (shitake and brown cap), roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
50ml tomato paste
25g dried porcini mushrooms
10g fresh thyme, leaves picked
300ml white wine
300ml vegetable stock
280ml double cream
400g fresh spinach, roughly chopped
175g gruyere cheese, grated
125g parmesan or vegetarian alternative cheese
300ml Greek yoghurt
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and black pepper
Flat-leaf parsley and thyme sprigs, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6, then wash and quarter the potatoes. They need to be about half of a new potato size. Toss the potatoes with 4 tbsp oil in a large roasting tin, then roast for 40 minutes, or until golden.

2 Heat the remaining oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes on a low heat, then add the mushrooms and garlic and cook over a medium heat.

3 Stir in the tomato paste, porcini mushrooms and the thyme and wine. Bring to the boil; simmer for 5 minutes.

4 Add the stock and cream, bring back to the boil and bubble for 20 minutes, or until reduced; the smell at this point is wonderful. Pour all of this into a large ovenproof dish. Stir in the potatoes, spinach and gruyere and half the parmesan cheese. Season well.

5 Combine the yoghurt with the eggs and season. Spoon dollops over the potatoes and vegetable mixture, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.

6 Cook for 30-35 minutes, or until the yoghurt topping is golden and the liquid starts bubbling through. Garnish with the flat leaf parsley and sprigs of thyme.