How to Prepare A Vegetarian Christmas Feast

Christmas dinner! The most important meal of the year, for many. We put so much emphasis on turning out the perfect spread with endless side dishes for our extended family and friends.

A combination of taking on our small-holding and the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in George and I spending a quiet Christmas at home, just the two of us, for the past few years. Honestly, I can’t say that I’m overly bothered by this. We’re finally free from the pressure to either host or travel, we no longer get drawn into the annual Christmas family argument, and we’ve been able to start some traditions of our own. More on that coming in the next post!

We went entirely plant-based in November 2015, and reintroduced eggs to our diet when we adopted our first rescue hens in January 2020. We still get asked fairly frequently what we eat as “almost vegans”, especially when it comes to Christmas dinner.

Over the years I have learned that a fewer components done well makes for a far more pleasing meal and less stressful cooking experience, than trying to juggle too many dishes in the oven! So we keep our Christmas dinner fairly simple.

The Main Event: Chestnut, Lentil and Mushroom Wellington

The year after we adopted a plant-based diet, we spent Christmas with my in-laws. The idea behind this delicious Wellington was entirely my mother-in-law’s, though I’ve made it countless times since then, and tweaked the recipe here and there.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet ready made puff pastry
• 1 medium onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 6 large chestnut mushrooms
• 250g cooked, peeled and chopped chestnuts
• 1/2 cup green lentils
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 100g dried cranberries, or other fruit of choice
• 100 ml soya cream
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• Seasoning to taste
• Either a beaten egg or 20-30 ml soya milk.

Method

• Preheat your oven to 180^oC fan / 200^oC
• Finely chop the onion and garlic, and lightly fry in 1 tbsp vegetable oil until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and fry these until cooked and lightly golden.
• In a separate pan, boil the lentils in the vegetable stock until soft and all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Add the vegetables and the cranberries to the lentils and mix well.
• Add the soya cream and herbs, and stir to combine.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Roll out your block of puff pastry to 5mm thickness. Try to match the length and width to your baking sheet.
• Grease and line your baking sheet before transferring the pastry onto it.
• Tip the mixture onto the pastry, just off centre, enough to fill it generously.
• Use a pastry brush to brush either a beaten egg or soya milk around the edges of the pastry before folding in half lengthways. Ensure the filling is evenly distributed throughout.
• Brush the top of the Wellington with the remains of the soya milk or beaten egg.
• Use a sharp knife to poke 2 or 3 holes in the top of the Wellington to allow hot air to escape. Roll or crimp the edges, as you prefer.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry has puffed out and appears golden brown.

Roast Potatoes and Parsnips

These are the heart of any roast dinner! My secret to the perfect roast potatoes is to boil them a few hours ahead of time, or even the night before. I drain them, chuff them lightly and leave them in the pan to cool before throwing them in a pre-heated roasting tray with a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil. This gives beautifully crispy roasts every time!

Sadly our home-grown potatoes suffered a lot of slug damage this year, but our home-grown parsnips featured in the Christmas dinner. Peeled, chopped and roasted alongside the potatoes for about 90 minutes, with regular checks on the oven to turn them for an even cook.

Stuffing

In past years, I have gone all out and made two different types of stuffing from scratch. This year, at over eight months pregnant, I just didn’t have the energy. I added some pre-cooked, chopped chestnuts and dried apricots to a packet mix of stuffing and cooked according to the instructions; minimal effort but still very tasty!

Steamed Carrots, Leeks, Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts

All freshly picked from the vegetable garden on Christmas morning, prepared and lightly steamed. Delicious!

Red Cabbage and Onion

We love this side dish, and often have it with Sunday dinner when our red cabbages are ready to harvest. About half a red cabbage and 2 medium onions, finely shredded, lightly fried in a little oil before adding 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar and 1 tsp of mustard seeds. Allow to simmer until all the vegetables have softened and the sauce has thickened.

Any leftovers can be frozen in portions, and taken out for a beautifully tangy addition to roast dinners throughout the year.

Yorkshire Puddings

It’s not a typical feature of the Christmas dinner, but who can’t resist a freshly made, crispy Yorkshire pudding?

Whisk 2 fresh eggs into 140g plain flour, then add 175ml of your chosen milk (I use soya). Pop in the fridge for at least 30 mins to rest. Meanwhile, pour a drizzle of vegetable oil into each of the wells of your fairy cake or Yorkshire pudding tray and allow to heat up in the oven. Divide your mixture between the wells and cook for 12-15 minutes until risen and golden. Try not to open the door too early, as this can cause them to deflate if not fully cooked!

What do you cook up for your Christmas dinner? Do meat eaters ever stray away from turkey? I’d love to hear any other veggie-friendly ideas!