Easy Nut Roast

Ingredients for  10  Servings

• 300g

  Flat or portabello mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 300g

  Mixed nuts
• 2 tbsp

  Oil
• 1

  Onion, chopped
• 3

  Garlic cloves, grated
• 2

  Leeks, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp

  Finely chopped rosemary (or ½ tsp dried rosemary)
• 75g

  Gruyère, grated
• 50g

  Vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese, grated
• 125g

  Cooked mixed grains, quinoa, wheatberries, barley, etc., (from a vacuum pack)
• 125g

  Cooked Puy lentils (tinned or vacuum packed is fine)
• Small bunch

  Thyme, leaves picked
• Small bunch

  Sage, leaves chopped, plus extra whole leaves for garnish
• 75g

  Soft breadcrumbs, plus extra for garnish
• 100g

  Dried apricots, chopped
• 1

  Unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only
• 6

  Large eggs, beaten
• 100ml

  White wine
• 2 tbsp

  Soy sauce
• 40g

  Pine nuts (optional)
• --

  Butter, for greasing and frying
• -

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Approximate Times

• Preparation :

  Less than 30 minutes
• Cooking :

  1 to 2 hours

Method

1. Butter a 900g loaf tin and line the bottom with a strip of baking paper that comes up the short sides. This will help loosen the loaf to turn it out.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a frying pan and gently fry the onion for 10 minutes until soft, and just beginning to colour. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl. Set the pan back on the heat, add the remaining oil and fry the rosemary and mushrooms until they have browned, released their water and are mostly dry. Set aside with the onions and garlic.
3. Put the nuts in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer to a large bowl with the cheese, grains, lentils, herbs, breadcrumbs, pine nuts (if using) and apricots. Stir in the onion and mushroom mixture.
4. In another bowl, combine the lemon zest, eggs, wine and soy sauce. Pour into the nut mixture, season with salt and plenty of black pepper and stir until thoroughly combined.
5. Put a layer of sliced leeks in the bottom of the prepared loaf tin so they are lying flat and evenly spread out (reserve the green parts for garnish). Pour the nut roast mixture on top and pack down with the back of a spoon. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Allow the nut roast to rest for at least ten minutes before turning out.
6. To garnish, heat a knob of butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the green parts of the sliced leeks and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the reserved breadcrumbs and sage leaves, stirring until the breadcrumbs are beginning to crisp a little. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the turned-out nut roast and serve with all the trimmings.