Vegetarian Christmas

Yes it’s December and Christmas time again and our thoughts turn to turkey and all the trimmings. I love this time of year and being in the kitchen creating great traditional food for all the family. My Christmas cake and puddings are already made and stored ready for the onslaught and the onions are pickled. However, this year is slightly different for me as some very dear friends are coming to stay over and the wife is vegetarian. Usually when they stay it is not a problem, as she loves my fish pie and cheesy potato skins, but I’m not sure this is something I should be serving up on Christmas Day. I want to make a bit of an effort, but not create too much work and there will still be the brussels and other six vegetables to enjoy, so here are some of the recipes I have come up with which you perhaps would not eat on a daily basis, but would be just a little bit special for a day like Christmas.
Buen Apetito

Roasted Pesto Portobellos

8 large Portobello mushroom caps
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 cups breadcrumbs
Pesto
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Quarter cup hazelnuts finely chopped
Third cup Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Gently remove stems from mushrooms. Finely chop the stems and set aside. Lightly brush the mushroom tops with olive oil. Grill side up on a baking sheet and lightly salt. Take the chopped stems and mix with breadcrumbs, pesto, zest, vinegar and hazelnuts. Spoon 2 tbsp into each mushroom cap. Roast in oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Stuffed Artichokes

8 artichokes
2tsp butter
2 large onions
3 cloves of garlic
2 cup walnuts
Half cup of bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Half cup of apple juice
Half cup of fresh parsley
Quarter tsp thyme
Quarter tsp paprika
2 cups of Cheddar cheese
2tbs fresh lemon juice
Cook chopped onions and garlic in butter until translucent. Stir in walnuts, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Cook over a low heat for 6 to 7 minutes and stir all the time. Add apple juice, parsley, thyme and paprika and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add cheese and lemon juice and mixed well. Divide the stuffing among the artichokes, cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes in a medium heat oven.

Almond and Feta Stuffed Peppers

4 large Bell peppers green or red or both
2 cups rice cooked
1 cup almonds
2 onions thinly sliced
1 can tomatoes
Quarter cup of fresh parsley
1 cup feta cheese
1 cup Mozzarella cheese grated
2 eggs
Basil
Salt and pepper
Wash peppers and remove stems and seeds. Drop into a pan of boiling water, boil for 2 minutes and then plunge straight into cold water. In a large bowl mix the rest of the ingredients except the Mozzarella cheese. Stuff the peppers with the mixture and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle with the Mozzarella and bake uncovered for 40 minutes.

Chick Pea Curry

30ml vegetable oil
2 clove garlic
3 tbsp curry powder
450g carrots
225g mushrooms
1 small cauliflower
2 tbsp tomato puree
275g chopped tin tomatoes
1 vegetable stock in 600ml boiling water (caldo verdure)
225g tinned chick pea (pollito guisante)
Salt and pepper
Fry onions in oil for 2 minutes until golden brown. Add crushed garlic and curry powder and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add carrots, mushrooms and cauliflower florets and gently fry for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes and stock, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes and then stir in the chick peas. Season to taste and serve with boiled rice or a jacket potato.

Brown Rice Risotto

200g Brown rice
400ml water
1 medium onion
½ red pepper (optional)
200g sunflower seeds (girasol semilla)
Mixed herbs
Pinch salt
100g sweetcorn or frozen peas (maiz/guisante)
Soya sauce to taste
1 rounded tsp Marmite
Cook the chopped onion in the oil until soft. Wash rice and drain, add to the onions and cook for a couple of minutes turning all the time. Boil the water and add Marmite, soya sauce and herbs to the water and stir. Pour into the rice mixture and bring to the boil and simmer gently. After 15 mins add the chopped mushrooms, sweetcorn and peas and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Season to taste and mix in the red peppers. Serve with toasted sunflower seeds.