Easter Nut Roast

We went to my mum and dad’s for Easter Sunday lunch. Just a few of my siblings were there (including my sister Christine who was visiting from Dublin and brought her husband Fergal to meet the family after being married for almost a year!). My mum made a roast dinner which we all love.

I took down a nut roast that I had made the previous day. It is one I have made a few times before and was surprised to see it was gluten-free. This meant that my sister Susie could have a slice. Christine and Fergal were also partaking as they are not so keen on roast lamb. It is a good tasty nut roast with lots of vegetables although it lacked the yeasty density of breadcrumbs.

My mum always makes lots of vegetable dishes to have with her roasts. The bigger the occasion, the more side dishes! On Sunday it was a great spread of roast potatoes, roast pumpkin, peas, broccoli, and Susie’s gluten free cauliflower cheese. Nut roasts are sociable dishes because they allow me to share the other dishes which go with my nut roast as well as with roast lamb. I had chutney with the nut roast rather than mint sauce and gravy, but I was glad to able to share the wonderful golden crunchy roast potatoes.

When I first went vegetarian, I told my mother that I would eat the roast vegetable from the dish in which she cooked the meat. It meant that she could always just give me roast vegies if she was making a roast dinner without too much extra effort. I didn’t want my vegetarianism to be an inconvenience to others and I know a roast dinner is one of my mum’s favourite dinners. Often now, she roasts vegies in a separate dish, especially when cooking for a lot of people. Nut roasts have been an easy way for me to have something more substantial than just vegetables. (Although my mum is a one of those cooks who always likes to try out something new so I never feel neglected!)

And with my mum, we are always guaranteed some delicious dessert. For sweets on Sunday she served pavlova, lemon meringue pie and caramel tart. I could not resist a slice of her caramel tart which is a bit like banoffi pie but everyone in my family agrees it is much much better. Maybe one day I will post the recipe.

This nut roast will go to my blog event, A Neb at Nutroast. This is an event where I am encouraging you to make nut roasts, post about them and send them to me by 18 April. If you are interested and/or need advice and ideas, check out this link.

Cheesy Nut Loaf
(from the Australian Women’s Weekly Vegetarian Cooking)
Serves 4-6

1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup roasted unsalted cashews, ground
1 cup blanched almonds, ground
1 medium carrot, grated
1 cup cooked brown rice (about ⅓ cup uncooked)
¾ cup grated tasty cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten

Lightly grease a 14 x 21 cm loaf tin and line with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180 C.

Heat oil in frypan and add onion, pepper and tomato. (I just add them as I chop them.) Fry for 5-10 minutes over medium high heat. The recipe says to fry til pepper is tender but I prefer to fry til most of the tomato juice has evaporated. The recipe also says to cool but I don’t bother.

While the vegetables are frying, place the remainder of the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. When vegetables are ready, tip into the mixing bowl and mix all ingredients to combine.

Spoon mixture into the prepared tin and use the back of the spoon to smooth top. Bake for about 40 minutes of until lightly browned. (I baked for 60 minutes and then the next day it went in my mum’s oven for another 30 minutes to reheat!)

Serve with tomato sauce, gravy, chutney or any other sauce that takes your fancy (We had the leftovers with pumpkin sauce, roasted cauliflower and broccoli, and chips.)

On the stereo:
Rain Falls in Grey: Radio Massacre International