Zizi's Adventures - Real Food, Real Stories

Vegetarian Christmas – Cheesy Leeks

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Christmas time a stress-free meal needs proper planning. There is no such thing as luck – you have to make it happen. That’s why I decided early what to make for my small family on Christmas Eve. 
Christmas is a private, family holiday in Hungary, we don’t go to parties. The main Christmas celebrations take place on Christmas Eve. The evening is called Holy Evening. Most families decorate the tree together on 24 December, but some families keep the older tradition that tree should be a surprise for children who even believe it was bought by Baby Jesus and angels. Children enter the room only when the small tree bells ring and music arises. Gifts lay around the tree with small labels saying the name of someone in the family. Family-members sing Christmas songs together, then open their gifts and spend the night together. The menu for Christmas Eve is usually fish soup from carp, fried fish with potato salad or French fries. The traditional Hungarian Christmas dessert is called beigli. It’s a pastry roll filled with poppyseed or walnut and it can be made a few days, even a week before Christmas.
I’m vegetarian so we don’t make the traditional menu on this evening. We had cranberry and pistachio nut roast – a rich and savoury vegetarian dish -, mashed pumpkin potatoes with rosemary and also this cheesy leeks (recipe from Jamie Oliver) and a vegan stuffing (I’ll share the recipe with you soon). It was the best vegetarian Christmas dinner we ever had.

Cheesy Leeks

Ingredients (serves 4)

– 2 large leeks, trimmed and washed
– 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
– 3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
– 100 ml cream
– 100 g cheddar, grated
– 100 g brie, cut into small pieces
– sea salt
– black pepper
– olive oil

Method

Slice the leeks on an angle, about 2 cm thick. Put a pan on a medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme and garlic. As things begin to bubble and fry (3-4 minutes), stir in the leeks. Leave to cook and check on it every few minutes to stir (make sure it doesn’t catch). After 10-15 minutes turn off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients (cream, brie, salt, pepper), stir and spoon it all into a baking dish, sprinkle over the cheddar. Pop in the oven and bake at 170-180C (350F) for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbling.

More vegetarian Christmas recipes:
Mashed Pumpkin Potatoes with Rosemary
Cranberry and Pistachio Nut Roast
Pumpkin Pie

Vegetarian Christmas – Cranberry and Pistachio Nut Roast

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A nut roast is a rich and savoury vegetarian dish consisting of nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, pecans, cashew nuts, pistachio, chestnuts, peanuts), grains, vegetables, vegetable oils, broth or butter, and seasonings formed into a firm loaf shape or long casserole dish before roasting and often eaten as an alternative to a traditional British style roast dinner. It is popular with vegetarians/vegans at Christmas, as well as part of a traditional Sunday roast. 
I made a similar nut roast (Mrs. Myrtleberry’s roast) nearly a year ago. It was love at first sight or love at first taste! 🙂 The main adjustment is to toast the nuts, which brings out a wonderful flavour. This is rich, satisfying and chockfull of protein. 
Even if you are a meat eater you need to try one of them. It is definitely a festive meal with mashed potato and salad.

Cranberry and Pistachio Nut Roast (Jamie Oliver recipe)

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

– 50 g pistachio, toasted
– 50 g almond, toasted
– 20 g dried porcini
– 100 g button mushroom, sliced
– 100 g cheddar cheese, grated (omit to make vegan nut roast)
– 100 g pearl barley
– 1 red onion, finely chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
– 2 small celery root, peeled and finely chopped
– 300-400 ml vegetarble stock
– 1 organic/free range egg, beaten (omit to make vegan nut roast)
– 1-1 teaspoon of sage, rosemary and thyme, leaves picked and chopped
– small handful of whole wheat breadcrumbs
– 1 teaspoon chili flake
– grated zest of 1 lemon
– 4 tablespoons olive oil
– sea salt
– pepper
– 150 g frozen cranberries
– 1 tablespoon brown cane sugar

Method

In a dry non-stick pan roast pistachio and almond for 8 minutes, let cool, chop roughly and set aside. Soak the dried porcini in a little boiling water (enough to cover) for 8-10 minutes. Drain the porcini (keep the soaking water!), chop it roughly and set aside. Butter a 20-23 cm loaf tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper. Cook the sugar and the cranberries in a pan over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, then tip into the tin and spread evenly.
Make the risotto base first. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the chopped celery root and onion and cook for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Turn up the heat and add the pearl barley. Cook for a minute or so until you hear it snap, crackle and pop, then add the porcini soaking water and stir until absorbed.
Add the drained, chopped porcini to the risotto and the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring each one in until it has been completely absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir as much as you can – this is what will make it creamy. Once the pearl barley is al dente, transfer to a bowl to cool. 
Preheat the oven to 190C (360F). In a pan fry the sliced button mushrooms in a little olive oil over medium heat for 5–8 minutes, until they are just starting to crisp. 
Once the risotto has cooled, add all other ingredients (button mushrooms, pistachio, almond, grated cheese, egg, sage, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, breadcrumbs and chili flake), season, and mix well. Pile the nut-roast mixture in the tin and pack it down with the back of a spoon. Cover it with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for a further 15 minutes. Once it’s golden brown on top, remove the nut roast from the oven and leave to settle for 10 minutes. 
Use a knife to loosen the tin, then place your serving platter or board on top. Cover your hand with a tea towel and courageously flip the whole lot over, then carefully lift the tin off. 

More vegetarian Christmas recipe:
Pumpkin Pie

Vegetarian Christmas – Pumpkin Pie

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I was going to write a series about vegetarian Christmas but because I was very busy I didn’t have time to translate all my Hungarian blog posts into English. I’ve got tasty ideas for a vegetarian Christmas with festive vegetarian/vegan recipes like a delicious nut roast, different side dishes and yum desserts. So next year if you look for ideas for a sensational spread on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and throughout the festive season, remember to come back and visit my blog for these recipes.

The filling recipe is from Shauna. This is a pumpkin pie made and baked from scratch with love. From a real pumpkin. In Hungary you can’t buy canned pumpkin puree, we don’t have it. If you want to make something from pumpkin puree you have to make it. If you haven’t tried it, it’s the time you should. This pie is very filling and nutritious.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

For the crust
– 200 g white spelt flour
– 50 g oat flour
– 170 g unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small (2-3 cm / 1-inch) cubes
– 4 tablespoons cold water
– 2 teaspoons cane powder sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling
– 2 cups roasted, pureed pumpkin
– 1 cup ricotta
– 1/2 cup cream
– 2 organic or free range eggs
– 1/3 cup cane sugar
– 2 tablespoons maply syrup
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground ginger

Method

To make the crust, in a bowl mix together the flours, powder sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter and mix until the butter pieces are broken up and about the size of small peas. Add cold water and mix until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in a clingfilm and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30-40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). After resting the dough, roll out  the pastry on a floured surface to cover your pie dish (diameter: 29-30 cm) and prick holes with a fork all over the pastry (this helps the steam escape and prevents the crust from bubbling up). Line the pie crust with parchment paper, then fill with dried peas, lentils, beans or other pulses, or with ceramic or metal “baking beans” (also called pastry weights or pie weights) so that it will keep its shape when baking. Bake at 180C (350F) for about 15 minutes until it gets golden brown. Set aside.
Roast pumpkin halves at 180-200C for 45-60 minutes. Let cool and scoop out 2 cups flesh.
To make the filling, in a bowl beat the eggs until fluffy, then add cane sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, ricotta and cream. Continue blending until the mixture is smooth. Spoon the filling into the crust. Bake at 180C (350F) for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 170C (338F) and bake for another 30-40 minutes (until you can insert a toothpick into the center of the filling and have it come out clean). If the crust starts growing too brown, put some foil around the edges of the pie and continue baking. Set aside and allow the pie to cool before serving.

Vegan Beetroot Chocolate Cake

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I found a beautiful video about beet cake on Vimeo. After I had seen it I knew I had to bake it. I only wanted to bake it in a more healthier way so I changed sugar into honey and maple syrup, butter into coconut oil and eggs into oat milk + vinegar. The cake is almost sugar free only the chocolate contains a little bit.

Last time I baked it for my grandmother’s 88th birthday. I was a bit afraid how she would like this modern, vegan cake but she loved it. It was a big hit! Everyone from my family begs me to bake it again. 🙂

Vegan Beetroot Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

– 2 cups cooked beetroot, mashed
– 1 cup whole wheat spelt flour
– 1 cup white spelt flour
– 1/2 cup honey
– 1/2 cup maple syrup
– 1/2 cup coconut oil (you can use sunflower oil too)
– 1 cup oatmilk (you can use rice milk, soy milk too)
– 100 g chocolate (70-85% cocoa content), melted in a heat-proof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, not boiling!
– 2 teaspoons apple vinegar
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 2 teaspoons baking soda
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

Method

Sift all the dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in a bowl and mix them together. In another bowl whisk together all the wet ingredients (oat milk, coconut oil, honey, maple syrup, apple vinegar and vanilla). Add mashed beetroot and melted chocolate to the wet ingredients then pour into dry and mix until combine.

In the meantime preheat the oven to 175C (350F) and line the bottom of a 25 cm (9.8″) round cake pan with parchment paper, oil and flour it with cocoa powder.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes on 175-180C (350F). Remove from the oven when a cocktail stick just comes out of the cake cleanly. Cool somewhat before removing from the pan.

Cinnamon Rolls

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Making these beautiful cinnamon rolls was the first time for me to work with yeast dough on my own. I baked cakes from yeast dough before but always with my mom together. My mom is very talented, her yeast cakes are always beautiful and yummie. She learnt the recipes from her mom. I was a bit afraid how these cinnamon rolls would turn out but I was ready to challenge myself.

Working with this flexible and not sticky dough was amazing. I loved it and enjoyed every moment. I started making it in the evening so by the time all the 32 rolls were ready it was 11 pm.
Ree’s recipe inspired me to make these rolls but I changed a few things.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients
– 5 cups white spelt flour, sifted
– 1 package (7 g) dry yeast
– 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 500 ml milk
– 1/2 cup sunflower oil
– 1/4 cup cane sugar
– butter
– cinnamon
– cane sugar
Method

Pour the milk, sunflower oil and sugar in a large pan. Heat until just before the boiling point. Turn off the heat and leave to cool about 40 minutes. When the mixture is lukewarm, pour it into a big bowl then add the dry yeast. Let it sit for 5-8 minutes then add 4 cups flour. Stir mixture together, cover it with a tablecloth and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir mixture very well.

Sprinkle the rolling surface with flour. Divide the dough in half and start working with one of them. Roll the dough thin (0,5 cm) maintaining a rectangular shape. Spread it with melted butter and sprinkle with cane sugar and cinnamon (take as much as sweet you would like to be).

Starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you (keep it as tight as you can). Pinch the ends of the roll to seal it. Cut the rolls about 1-1,5 cm thick and lay them in a buttered pans. Let the rolls rise for 30 minutes then bake at 180-200C (350-375F) for 15-25 minutes.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough.