Ace-Vegan

Healthy Recipes: A vegetarian Boxing Day brunch

These delicious dishes from the Vegetarian Society are a great way to use up any leftovers from Christmas day

Potato Nest

Serves 6

For the potato nests:

For the filling:

Side salad:

Dressing

550g of baking potatoes
1 tbsp of fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsps of olive oil
Oil to brush the baskets

100g of artichoke hearts, sliced
150g of fresh oyster mushrooms
50g of sun-dried tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
30g of cranberry sauce
50g of cheddar cheese cut into small cubes

1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1 yellow pepper, finely sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 small bunch of radishes, finely sliced
10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Fresh mint, chopped
Baby lettuce leaves

2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of vinegar
1 tsp of mustard

First preheat the oven to 180ºC, then oil a 5cm deep, six-hole muffin tray with a little olive oil.
Peel the potatoes and grate them coarsely. Wrap up the grated potato in kitchen paper and press out as much water as possible.
Put the potato in a bowl then mix in the rosemary, olive oil and seasoning. Divide the potato mixture into the muffin tin, pressing the potato into the bases and the sides to form cups. Brush lightly with oil, gently cover with greaseproof paper and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the potato has become crisp.
Next, roughly chop the artichokes, mushrooms, garlic and tomatoes, then sauté until slightly soft. Season to taste.
When the potato nests are cooked, allow them to cool slightly before turning out. Once turned out put a spoonful of cranberry sauce in the base of each of the cups, then divide the filling evenly on top. Divide the cheese between the nests.
Place on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melted.
Assemble your salad on each plate with the nest in the middle.
Just before serving mix all of the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over the salad.

Festive layered loaf

Serves 4

1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
300g of Quorn mince
2 tbsps of mild curry paste
30g of breadcrumbs
3 drops of almond essence
2 tbsps of water
½ tsp of dried rosemary
50g of toasted chopped hazelnuts
250g of prunes, finely chopped
4 free-range eggs
1 orange, peeled and sliced
1 jar of roasted red peppers

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line a loaf tin (20cm x 12cm x 6cm) with greaseproof paper.
Gently fry the onions in olive oil for five minutes then add the garlic and mince and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
Add the curry paste, breadcrumbs, almond essence, water, rosemary, half the prunes and hazelnuts, stir and remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then add the beaten eggs, stir and season with salt and pepper.
Line the base of the loaf tin with sliced orange.
Put half of the mixture into the tin then a layer of red peppers. Top up the tin with the remaining mince mixture.
Place a layer of the remaining prunes on top of the mixture. Cover the loaf with greaseproof paper and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Carefully lift out the loaf and turn it upside down so that the orange slices are at the top.

Boxing Day Frittata

Serves 4-6

500g Christmas leftovers (for example, cold roast potatoes, peas, carrots, stuffing and parsnips)
50g of cheese cut into pieces
8 large free-range eggs, beaten
1 tsp of fresh rosemary, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC or gas mark 6.
Line a flan dish with greaseproof paper.
Arrange the Christmas left-overs and cheese evenly into the dish.
Beat the eight large eggs, add the chopped rosemary then pour the mixture all over the vegetables.
Season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the eggs are thoroughly cooked. Serve with a healthy salad.

Chef’s Tip

Make it vegan by omitting the eggs and replacing with one tablespoon of gram flour mixed with four tablespoons of water

These recipes have been taken from the Vegetarian Society’s ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ recipe collection. To view the other delicious recipes visit vegsoc.org/christmas or call 0161 925 2000.