plik

The great thing about being veggie at Christmas
is that you can start your own traditions

Having spoken to quite a few veggies it seems that our own festive plans are not so
dissimilar to the average meat eater’s. Perhaps it’s because adapting a Xmas meal to be
meat free is an easy thing to do once you know all the ins and outs.

This year’s recipes are ideal to share with family and friends – they’re traditional, tasty
and turkey free. From a festive drink to get proceedings going through to puddings and
homemade sweets, you can mix and match or enjoy them as one fabulous feast. The
dishes, created by The Vegetarian Society’s Cordon Vert cookery school, give a nod to
seventies cuisine but bring the classic nut roast and all the trimmings right up to date.

The following pages offer suggestions for Christmas Eve and the big Xmas Day (starter,
main and pudding), followed by a Boxing Day buffet. Sprinkled throughout the recipes
are tips and hints to help with a compassionate Xmas.

And to make sure any snowballing fights remain friendly, take a look at our guide for
guests and hosts and have a sensational seasonal shindig!

It’s all in the planning after all.

Need Vegan
Goodies?

There’s also a Christmas
stocking full of recipes
online – visit our vast
collection of scrumptious
seasonal dishes at
www.vegsoc.org/christmas

There are Christmas starters,
mains and desserts with
traditional themes or
international flavours, low
calorie meals and vegan
goodies to try out.

Cordon Vert,

the

Vegetarian Society’s cookery
school, celebrates its twenty-
fifth anniversary this year. The
recipes within this booklet
have been developed by
Cordon Vert tutors – keep up
to date with the Cordon Vert
Cookery School’s activities
online at www.vegsoc.org/
cordonvert. Courses run
throughout the year.

Christmas Eve

Spanish Turron (homemade sweet)
Chocolate Truffle Snowballs (homemade sweet)
Frosted Fizz (cocktail)

Christmas Day

Starter

Passionate Citrus Cup

Mains

Not Just A Nut Roast
Sweet Rosemary Roasties
Speedy Sprouts with Wild Mushrooms
Herby Creamed Carrots
Fiery Red Wine Gravy
Quick Apple and Cranberry Sauce with a Bite

Pudding

Exotic Fruit Pudding

Boozy White Sauce
Spicy Rum Custard

All recipes © The Vegetarian Society –
(created by the Cordon Vert cookery school)

Tips and hints for hosts and guests

First of all it’s a good idea to iron out any misconceptions well in advance.

Hosts

Chat to each other

– Find out if your guest is vegetarian or vegan. Veggies don’t eat meat,

poultry, game, fish, shellfish, crustacea or any other product which has been made from
slaughtering an animal. They also prefer free-range eggs. Vegans go a bit further by cutting out
milk, dairy products, eggs and honey.

Unfamiliar ingredients

– Find the ingredients for our recipes in any

big supermarket, or try your local wholefood shop or deli.

Read the labels

– Not used to shopping for vegetarians? The main

things to watch out for are animal fat, gelatine (which turns up in lots
of desserts) and animal rennet (which can be in cheese). Read through
the tips and hints scattered through this booklet.
Look for the Vegetarian Society’s seedling symbol on
products, guaranteeing a product is 100% vegetarian.
Visit www.seedlingshowcase.com for more info.

Make plenty

– Whatever you decide to prepare,

allow for a couple of extra portions because usually any meat-eaters
will want to try ‘just a little’…

Keep it separate

– Your veggie guests will probably enjoy sharing the

roast potatoes, so cook them in vegetable oil, separately from the meat.

Ready-made options

– You shouldn’t have any trouble picking up a

nut roast or other ready-made festive option from the supermarket or
wholefood store.

Guests

Offer to help

– Christmas is shared with family and friends but this can present problems

for vegetarians and vegans too. Why not offer to cook a meal?

Reduce host hassle

– Take some food with you. Sometimes it can be difficult shopping

for items which you aren’t used to buying. So, why not offer to do some of the shopping
and take extra items along with you to share?

Keep smiling

– As a veggie you may come across people who will think you are mad, or

from another planet, for simply contemplating not eating turkey! Be prepared, smile and
remember you’re making a positive choice. Most of all, enjoy the festive season. Be clear
about your choices and enjoy trying new things.

Have a Sensational Seasonal Shindig

Christmas Eve Treats

Frosted Fizz

Vegan

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1tbsp caster sugar

750ml bottle vegetarian Prosecco or Champagne

7 clementines

30ml orange liqueur (e.g. Grande Marnier)

240ml pomegranate juice

Method:

1. Spread the sugar over a small plate. Cut one clementine in half and use to rub the rim of 6 glasses.

Then “frost” by dipping glasses in the sugar.

2. Put the liqueur, the pomegranate juice and the juice of the remaining clementines into a small jug

and divide equally between 6 glasses. Top with Prosecco or Champagne and serve immediately.

Our Frosted Fizz drink would be a fab welcome to
any get together, served with homemade sweets and
a few party nibbles.

Tips and hints

Plonk!

– All that socializing is the perfect excuse to

stock your cupboards full of the juices of the vine -
whatever your poison, red, white, or a drop of bubbly.
Vegetarian wine is free from animal finings such as
gelatine and isinglass (the swim bladder of tropical
fish) frequently used to clarify wine. Look out for
the Vegetarian Society’s seedling symbol or ask in
your supermarket or off-licence if they have a list of
vegetarian wines, beers and spirits.

Olives

– An acquired taste, granted, but the stuffed

varieties filled with garlic or sun dried tomatoes can be
favourites. Check you haven’t got anchovies in them
though, veggies don’t eat fish.

Soft Drinks

– Some canned orange drinks use

gelatine as a carrier for added Beta Carotene. (This
would not appear on the ingredients panel).

Crunchtastic

– Crisps often use whey as a flavour

carrier so ready salted are the only flavour that is always
vegetarian. Check the ingredients.

Chocolate

– Watch out for whey and emulsifiers.

* Look out for vegetarian labels or contact
manufacturers consumer helpline.

Chocolate Truffle Snowballs

Makes 16 – 18

Ingredients:

For the filling:

85g dark chocolate (around 70% cocoa solids)
35ml double cream
2tbsp rum

For the ice cream:

75ml double cream
25g desiccated coconut, ground
40ml coconut cream
25g caster sugar

To coat (optional):

100g white chocolate

Method:

1. For the filling (chocolate balls): melt the chocolate in a small

dish sitting over a pan of simmering water, making sure the
bowl doesn’t come into contact with the water. Warm the cream
in another small saucepan until just tepid then stir in the melted
chocolate. Allow to cool a little.

2. Stir in the rum and whisk until the mixture is light and shiny.

Put balled teaspoonfuls of the mixture on a lined baking sheet.
Freeze until firm – about 1 hour.

3. For the ice cream: Shake the coconut cream in its tin or carton

so that it is well mixed. Whisk the cream until it forms soft
peaks, add the ground coconut, coconut cream and sugar, and
stir gently. The mixture should be quite thick.

4. Take the chocolate balls out of the freezer and stick each with

a cocktail stick. Holding the chocolate balls with cocktail sticks,
dip each one into the ice-cream mixture and coat them using a
spoon to help, then replace onto the lined baking sheet. Leave
the cocktail sticks in for people to pick them up with.

5. Return to the freezer and freeze for an hour or until firm. The

snowballs can be then served in petit four cases, or dipped in
melted white chocolate and returned to the freezer for another
hour first. Serve straight from the freezer.

Christmas Eve Treats

Spanish Turron

Makes 6 – 8 pieces

Ingredients:

50g white sugar

150g ground almonds

2tbsp water

25g mixed peel

100g runny honey

50g walnut halves (to decorate)

1 free range egg white

Method:

1. Put the sugar in a small pan with 2tbsp water. Heat very gently, stirring, until all the sugar has

dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the honey, stirring until the honey is incorporated.

2. Whisk the egg white until it is stiff. Turn the honey mixture into a food processor together with

¼ of the egg white (you do not need the rest). Blend the mixture for 1 minute, after which the
mixture should look almost white.

3. Clean out the pan, and return the mixture to it. Cook over a high heat, stirring continually. The

mixture will look as though it is curdling – just keep stirring! After around 1 – 2 minutes the
mixture will go a beige colour. Remove from the heat and add ground almonds and the mixed
peel. Stir until incorporated and the mixture has the consistency of fudge.

4. Line a shallow, 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment. Turn the mixture into the tin.

Make sure that it is cool enough to handle, and then use your finger to flatten and form into
a square. The mixture should be about 1cm thick: it won’t take up the whole tin. Press walnut
halves firmly all over the surface, remembering that you will be cutting between each one.

5. Cover with another sheet of baking parchment and leave to cool. Serve cut into squares and put

in petit four cases. Although this is lovely eaten as soon as it is cold (about 2 hours), it is even
nicer the next day.

Passionate Citrus Cup

Vegan

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 large oranges (peeled and segmented)
3 ruby grapefruit (peeled and segmented)

For the dressing:

4 large ripe passion fruit*
½tsp peeled and finely grated ginger
3tbsp organic sunflower oil
Pinch caster sugar
6 mint leaves, sliced into fine ribbons
(to garnish)

Method:

1. Share out the oranges and grapefruit into

four dishes or glasses.

2. Remove the pips by straining the passion

fruit through a sieve to leave approximately
1½tbsp juice. Mix this well with the other
dressing ingredients and drizzle over the
fruit. Garnish with mint ribbons.

* Make sure your passion fruit are ripe and
wrinkly otherwise you may not have sufficient
juice and the juice will be sharp.

Christmas Day

For the big day, kick off the meal with a
rejuvenated fruit cocktail – the Passionate
Citrus Cup. And if not used as a starter, this
can also be served as a fruity vegan pudding
with soya ice cream.

A more compassionate Xmas

For most people Xmas food revolves around turkey. The vast majority of
turkeys (90%) are intensively reared for their meat. Traditionally, this was for
the Christmas market but today they are reared throughout the year. If you
are interested in information about turkeys then we have an information sheet
available online.
Visit www.vegsoc.org/info for further details.

For Starters

The Main Event

Well what can we say? Everyone
wants roast potatoes and ours
are savoury, sweet and crispy.
Sprouts, you either love them
or hate them but the recipe on
page 11 may convert the most
clear cut sprout hater, try it and
see. Sage flavoured carrots give
an unusual twist and a beautiful
accompaniment to the main dish
– the nut roast, of course.

From our straw poll of committed
vegetarians, the nut roast was a
top choice for a main Christmas
meal. But this isn’t just a nut
roast – it’s a Cordon Vert nut
roast, flavoured with fennel,
halloumi cheese and olives.

Tips and hints

Nuts to nut roast?

– Don’t worry

if nut roast doesn’t appeal, there’s
plenty more than nut roast to a
vegetarian or vegan Christmas.
One of the great things about being
vegetarian or vegan is being able
to challenge traditions about what
you should eat, and enjoy whatever
you fancy see www.vegsoc.org/
christmas for all sorts of other
ideas and recipes.

Roasty heaven

– Roast potatoes

should be cooked separately from
the meat and in vegetable fat or oil.

Stuff your gravy

– Vegetarian

gravy granules and mixes are
readily available in supermarkets.
The majority of commercially
available stuffing mixes are suitable
for vegetarians and vegans.

Christmas Day

Not Just a Nut Roast

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, very finely chopped
1 – 1½tbsp olive oil
125g vegetarian halloumi cheese, thinly sliced
50g cashews
50g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
100g walnuts
50g ground almonds
150g cooked basmati rice (about 75g uncooked weight), cooled
1 small red pepper, cut into small dice (about ½ cm)
2 – 3tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 – 1½tsp fennel seeds, ground
75ml hot light stock (3tsp light stock powder to 75ml water)
50g stoned black olives, halved
To taste salt and pepper
2 large free range eggs, beaten

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 375F / Gas mark 5. Grease a 450g loaf tin. Line the base

and ends with a single strip of baking paper, leaving an overhang at each end. This will
help to ease the loaf out of the tin when cooked.

2. Gently sauté the onion in 1tbsp olive oil in a frying pan until soft but not coloured.

Remove from the pan and set aside. Using the remaining ½tbsp olive oil if necessary,
turn up the heat and use the same pan to fry the halloumi cheese quickly until brown
on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool, then cut into very small dice
(about ½cm).

3. Grind the cashew nuts with half the walnuts until powdery and add the breadcrumbs.

Put the remaining walnuts into a processor and process until very finely chopped.

4. In a large bowl, mix all the nuts together with the onions and halloumi cheese and

all the remaining ingredients except the eggs. Season to taste then add the beaten
eggs and beat well. Press the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, with a slightly
rounded top surface. Put into a bain marie* and bake in a preheated oven for about
40 minutes or until firm. Check after 30 minutes, and if it appears to be browning too
fast, cover with foil.

5. When cooked, remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 10 – 20 minutes before

turning out. Slice with care using a sharp knife, and wiping the knife clean after each cut.

Notes:

* Bain marie: put the filled loaf tin in a deep oven dish. Fill the dish with boiling water to
half way up the loaf tin. Then put all in the oven to bake.
To cool the rice quickly when cooked, drain through a sieve and rinse well with cold water.

Christmas Day

Sweet Rosemary Roasties

Vegan

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1½kg potatoes

For the dressing:

4tbsp maple syrup
4tbsp olive oil
3 large sprigs rosemary, very finely chopped (about 2tsp chopped leaves)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C / 400F / Gas mark 6.*
2. Peel the potatoes, cut into small chunks. Put into boiling salted water, return to boil and

cook until beginning to soften. The inside should still be slightly firm. Drain.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Tip in the cooked potatoes

(which can be hot or cold) and gently toss them in the dressing.

4. Tip the coated potatoes, and any remaining dressing, onto a large non-stick baking tray

and spread out into a single layer. Bake for about 30 minutes until a mottled golden
colour, when they will be slightly crispy. Cook for longer if you want them crispier.

Cooking notes:

* If cooking roasties with our nut roast, cook at 180C / 375F / Gas mark 5 (same as the nut
roast for 30 minutes). When you take nut roast out of the oven, turn oven up to 210C / 420F /
Gas mark 7. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes.

Speedy Sprouts
with Wild
Mushrooms

Vegan

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1tbsp ground nut oil
350g large Brussels sprouts,

prepared and sliced roughly

3 shallots (or 1 small onion), sliced
150g oyster mushrooms, sliced
1tbsp shoyu or light soy sauce
50ml light stock made with vegan

stock powder

1½tsp (or to taste) mild whole grain

mustard

1tbsp balsamic vinegar
1tsp cornflour

Method:

1. Heat the ground nut oil in a

large wok. Stir-fry the sliced
sprouts and shallots for about
2-3 minutes then add the
mushrooms. Continue to stir-fry
for another minute or two.

2. Mix together the remaining

ingredients and add to the
stir-fry. Stir to coat and heat
through until the sauce is
slightly thickened. Season with
a little more stock powder if
necessary and serve.

Herby Creamed
Carrots

Can be vegan*

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500 – 600g carrots, peeled and

sliced

1 large clove garlic, crushed
5tbsp double cream (*or use

soya cream + 1tsp hard vegan
margarine)

1tsp finely chopped fresh sage

(or use ½tsp dried)

½ large lemon, grated zest only
To taste salt and pepper and a

pinch of caster sugar if necessary

4 sage leaves (to garnish)
1tsp butter (or hard vegan

margarine) for greasing

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C / 375F /

Gas mark 5.

2. Steam carrots until al dente

and pat dry. Put in a liquidizer
with the remaining ingredients.
Blend until pureed. If using soya
cream, add 1tsp margarine.

3. Check for seasoning, adding a

little caster sugar if necessary.
Turn into the greased ovenproof
dish. Cover with foil and
reheat in the oven for about 10
minutes. Serve topped with sage
leaves.

Quick Apple and
Cranberry Sauce
with a Bite

Vegan

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

225g cooking apple
4 – 5tbsp good quality cranberry sauce
2tsp apple balsamic vinegar (if not available,

use a good balsamic vinegar)

½tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Peel, core and dice apple and place in a

microwaveable dish, cover with cling film
and pierce the film with a fork. Microwave
apples for about 1 minute at full power
until soft. Set aside to cool.

2. When cool, mix the cooked apple

with the remaining ingredients. Add
more cinnamon and apple balsamic
vinegar as desired and chill. Serve as an
accompaniment to nut roast.

Christmas Day

Fiery Red Wine
Gravy

Vegan

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2tbsp olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
400ml boiling water
1tsp yeast extract
1 – 2tsp light vegan stock powder
100 ml vegan red wine
1 bay leaf
2tsp plain white flour
1 – 2tbsp (or to taste) sweet chilli sauce
2tsp tomato puree
pinch sugar
1 – 1½tsp (or to taste) chopped fresh

garden mint

To taste salt and pepper

Method:

1. Gently sauté the onion in the oil until

beginning to soften, stirring frequently.
Add the carrot, boiling water, yeast
extract, stock powder, wine and bay leaf.
Return to the boil and simmer, covered,
for 15 – 20 minutes. Cool.

2. Remove bay leaf, blend in food

processor then strain through a fine
sieve. Add flour and sugar and blend
again to incorporate the flour.

3. Return to the saucepan, add the sweet

chilli sauce and tomato puree and bring
to the boil, stirring all the time.

4. Simmer for 3 – 5 minutes until the

sauce is slightly thickened and the
flour cooked. Add the garden mint and
continue to simmer for a further 30
seconds. Season to taste.

Pudding

Dessert is a lighter than usual Christmas pud,
using exotic fruits, and is served with boozy
white sauce or spicy rum custard.

Tips and hints

Mince pie magic

– Christmas puddings

and mince pies are no longer a problem
for vegetarians since many brands now use
vegetable suet and this doesn’t affect the taste,
so meat- eaters will enjoy them too. Some
brands will be suitable for vegans too – look out
for The Vegan Society symbol on packs.

Trifle-ing matters

– You can make jelly for your

trifle using vegetarian or vegan jelly crystals.

Rudolph knows

– If you buy cocktail cherries

check that they do not contain cochineal E120,
made from crushed insects.

Exotic Xmas Pudding

Serves 8

Ingredients:

100g ready to eat dried mango

50g plain flour

100g ready to eat dried figs

1½tsp cardamom seeds, lightly crushed

125g ready to eat dried cranberries

25g pecan nuts, finely chopped

200ml vegetarian fino sherry

1 large orange, zest and juice

100g light vegetarian suet

2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten

100g white breadcrumbs

15g butter (for greasing)

100g light muscovado sugar

Method:

1. Cut all the dried fruit into small dice (kitchen scissors can be less messy than using a knife) and place

in a shallow bowl. Pour over the sherry and leave to soak for 1 hour, stirring from time to time.

2. Combine the suet, breadcrumbs, sugar, flour, cardamom and nuts in a large bowl. Add the orange

zest, juice and eggs to the marinating fruit and then combine with the dry ingredients, mixing well.

3. Grease a 1 litre pudding basin and line the base with baking parchment. Spoon the mixture into the

basin and level the top. Cover with baking parchment, pleated to allow for expansion, then cover
with foil, also pleated, and tie with string.

4. Place an upturned saucer in a large saucepan. Stand the basin on top and pour boiling water

two-thirds up the sides of the basin. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3½ hours topping up with
boiling water as necessary.

For Afters

Boozy White Sauce

Vegan

Serves 4

Ingredients:

200ml soya milk
4tbsp sunflower oil
1½ – 2tsp vanilla extract (depending on strength)
1tbsp cornflour
1½tsp white sugar
1tbsp golden syrup
2tsp white rum or brandy

Method:

1. Put soya milk, sunflower oil, vanilla extract, corn

flour and sugar into a blender and blend for 5 – 10
seconds until just combined. Be careful to not over
blend. Pour into a small saucepan and add the
golden syrup.

2. Bring to the boil stirring all the time, then simmer

and stir for about 1 minute to cook the cornflour.
Add the rum or brandy and taste. Add more sugar
if desired. For a thinner sauce, add a very little
more soya milk. Serve hot.

Christmas Day

Spicy Rum Custard

Serves 6

Ingredients:

275ml full fat milk
275ml double cream
Small stick cinnamon
4 large free range egg yolks
4tbsp caster sugar
1tbsp white rum

Method:

1. Place the milk, cream and cinnamon

in a pan and heat gently, until
bubbles appear around the edge.
Remove from heat, cover with a lid
and leave to infuse for 15 minutes
before taking out the cinnamon.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl beat

the egg yolks lightly with the sugar
and rum using a small whisk.

3. Re-heat the milk mixture until just

below boiling point and then pour
over the egg mixture, whisking all the
time to prevent lumps from forming.

4. Pour the custard back into the

saucepan and continue to whisk over
the heat until the sauce has thickened.
Serve immediately.

Note: this is a pouring consistency, for
thicker custard add 1tsp cornflour when
incorporating the sugar into the eggs.

Boxing Day Buffet / Supper

If you can’t polish
everything off on the day
the feast happens then
don’t worry, pop it in the
fridge and have it the next
day. That way it’s not just
the meat eaters who get to
eat leftovers!

Tips and hints

Recycle our recipes

– Use

the left overs to make a few
buffet dishes. Great for the
day or for a late supper:
Carrot Paté – Herby Creamed
Carrots.
Patatas Bravas (sort of) –
Sweet Rosemary Roasties
with a dipping sauce of Fiery
Red Wine Gravy.
Mature (day old) Not Just a
Nut Roast – the leftover cold
roast really brings out the
flavours well.

A few ideas for buffet
items you can buy in

–

sundried tomatoes, hummus,
guacamole, olives, bread and
cheese.

Delicious Dips

– Hummus is

always a fab dip.

Fish Fury

– Avoid

Taramasalata though as it
has fish roe in it.

Choice Cheese

– Most

supermarket cheeses now
use vegetarian rennet, so just
make sure you choose one
with a label indicating that it
is suitable for vegetarians.

page 2

Registered Charity No. 259358 Registered Company No. 959115
Patrons: Rose Elliot MBE, Jerome Flynn, Sir Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney and Wendy Turner Webster

Printed on recycled paper by Rap Spiderweb
Photography by Sue Hiscoe Food Styling by Rob Morris-Lang

The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom Limited
Parkdale Dunham Road, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4QG
Tel: 0161 925 2000 Fax: 0161 926 9182 www.vegsoc.org

Join The Vegetarian Society and help create a more
compassionate future

The Vegetarian Society works with the food industry, health professionals and politicians
to encourage better standards for vegetarians. We provide advice and information to
families, teachers, students and community groups. We lobby the Government for better
food labelling laws. We help and support those who are considering vegetarianism
whether for health, environmental or moral reasons. In addition, the Society’s Cordon Vert
School trains professional chefs to raise the standards of vegetarian cuisine.

The Vegetarian Society is an educational charity and the work we do is made
possible by the continued support of our members. As a member you will
receive a glossy quarterly magazine packed full of recipes, news, lifestyle,
travel and food features. You will also benefit from a discount card to use at
hundreds of places nationwide including Holland & Barrett.

So, whether you’re a committed vegetarian or just interested in a healthier
lifestyle, why not join us?

Please call 0161 925 2000, email membership@vegsoc.org or visit
www.vegsoc.org for more information.

This Christmas, why not consider giving a different kind of
gift? You can choose to give membership for The Vegetarian
Society or Cordon Vert cookery school gift vouchers. We also
offer festive flowers through our Charity Flowers affinity scheme
as well as ethical gifts, both practical and unusual, from The
Vegetarian Society’s Natural Collection catalogue.

Everything in our Online Shopping Directory is chosen with
vegetarians in mind so you can be sure your gifts will be well
received. What’s more, each purchase helps fund the work we do.

The Vegetarian Society website is packed full of special gift
ideas. Simply visit www.vegsoc.org/christmas and follow the
shopping link. Or, if you would prefer to phone us, please call
0161 925 2000.

Seasons Greetings!

Gift Ideas