Christmas Veggie Wellington

Ingredients

For the filling

• 60g/2oz basmati rice, cooked according to the packet instructions
• pinch turmeric
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 600g/1lb 5oz brown cap mushrooms, sliced
• 50g/2oz butter, melted
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries
• 2 free-range eggs, hard-boiled, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pastry

• 250g/9oz ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• vegetarian gravy, to serve

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
   
2. Combine the cooked rice, turmeric and lemon zest and set aside, covered, in the refrigerator.
   
3. Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the onion and mushroom and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Set aside to cool.
   
4. Stir in the cooked rice, herbs, cranberries and hard-boiled eggs until well combined. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
   
5. For the pastry, cut a 40cm x 20cm/15in x 8in rectangle from the puff pastry.
   
6. Spoon the rice mixture down the centre of the pastry. Bring the sides of the pastry together and seal. Brush all over with beaten egg and chill for 30 minutes.
   
7. Sprinkle the pastry parcel with sesame seeds and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown.
   
8. To serve, place one slice of the Wellington onto each of six serving plates. Pour over vegetarian gravy.
   

Sweet and sour stuffed aubergines

Sweet and sour stuffed aubergines 

Ingredients:

For the aubergines

2 medium aubergines

salt, for sprinkling

4 tbsp tomato purée

1 lemon, juice only

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

150ml/5fl oz water

salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the filling

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

300g/11oz minced beef

1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

1 heaped tsp ground cumin

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped

water, to cover

3 tbsp bulgur wheat

30g/1oz pine nuts

30g/1oz currants
Preparation method


For the aubergines, halve the aubergines lengthways and scoop out a little of the centre (you can use it in another dish, such as a soup or a stew). Season the aubergines with salt, then turn upside down on a wire rack to drain.


For the filling, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and fry the onion until tender. Add the garlic and fry for a minute or so longer.


Add the meat and fry until it has changed colour, breaking up the lumps. Sprinkle over the spices, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and fry for another minute.


Add the tomatoes and just enough water to cover and stir well. Simmer gently for 30 minutes until the meat is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning.


Add the bulgur wheat, pine nuts and currants and stir well.


Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.


Lightly oil an ovenproof dish and place the aubergine halves into the dish. Fill them with the spiced meat mixture.


Place the tomato purée, lemon juice, sugar, olive oil and water into a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.


Pour the tomato purée mixture over the aubergines. Cover with foil, transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes.


Remove the foil, baste the aubergines in their juices and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

1. Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break 200g good quality dark chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Cut 200g butter into pieces and tip in with the chocolate, then mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
2. While the chocolate is melting, mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat 3 medium eggs in a bowl and stir in 75ml (5 tbsp) buttermilk.
3. Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25- 1 hour 30 minutes - if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three. Make the ganache: chop 200g good quality dark chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour a 284ml carton of double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
5. Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.