CHRISTMAS ROAST
'Tis the season for sharing a great roast with friends and family!
Ingredients:
100g green lentils
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
500ml stock made with 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon
1 large red onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon ginger powder
2 carrots, grated (200g)
2 courgettes, grated (200g)
100gms medium oatmeal
100g chopped cashews
50g sunflower seeds, toasted
50g pumpkin seeds, toasted
50g sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 180C, Gas 4.
Wash the green lentils, put them in a small saucepan with the stock and bay leaves, bring to the boil & simmer until the lentils are tender. Drain, remove the bay leaves and set aside.
To toast the seeds, mix them all together on a baking sheet and place under the grill on the lowest rung, as far away from the heat as possible. Toast them until they just begin to tan, stir them and toast again. Be very careful not to let them burn, as this will ruin the flavour of the roast.
Fry the onion in the sunflower oil until translucent, add the garlic and spices, and stir-fry quickly.
Add the carrots & courgettes and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
Now add the cooked lentils, oatmeal, cashews, two thirds of the toasted seeds, tamari, tomato puree and parsley.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Grease a large loaf tin and line with baking parchment.
Sprinkle the remaining seeds into the tin and then spoon on the roast mixture, press down, cover with top with baking parchment.
Bake in the middle of the pre-heated oven for 45minutes or until firm.
Remove the baking parchment from the top and bake for a further 10 minutes.
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a serving dish.