delicious. Vegetarian & Vegan Christmas

We’re often asked at delicious. what we recommend cooking for vegetarian friends and family at Christmas so we decided it was high time we created this special magazine including some of our favourite recipes. You’ll find every idea you need for Christmas Day, plus the all-important in-between occasions, so you can start planning your special menus. I’ve put a few suggestions together (right), but I’d love to know what you’re cooking, including any recipe triumphs (the ones you cook again and again). Happy cooking!…

Christmas Eve supper for 6 Start the celebrations with a cosy meal amid the twinkle Warming sweet potato and ginger soup, p14 Vegetable tagine, p38 Chocolate and pear brownie torte, p55 Date and apple mince pies, p57 Family Christmas Day lunch for 6 It’s a feast packed with colour, texture and flavour Spinach and pine nut palmiers, p10 Middle Eastern-spiced nut roast with three-potato topping, p28 Balsamic roast carrots & parsnips and sprouts with crispy chestnuts, p44 Gluten-free Christmas pudding, p60 Boxing Day buffet menu for 10 Make it a proper smorgasbord of veggie delights Your choice of mix and match canapés, p11 Sweet onion and cauliflower tart, p30 Mushroom & lentil bake with tahini crust and red onion salad, p24 Rum custard tart with gingerbread pastry, p57 Drinks and nibbles party for a crowd Give your small-bite repertoire an instant upgrade Warm cheese and onion cups, p9 Spiced paneer with…

Spiced paneer with quick-pickled cucumber Makes About 24 Hands-on time 25 min, plus marinating and pickling You’ll also need About 24 canapé skewers MAKE AHEAD Marinate the paneer and make the dressing, then cover and chill for up to 2 days. Pickle the cucumber up to 4 hours ahead. Fry the paneer a few hours ahead, then put on a baking tray and warm through for 5 minutes in the oven before assembling. • 5 tbsp tikka masala paste• Finely grated zest and juice ½ lemon• 2 x 225g packs paneer, each cut into 12 cubes• 3 tbsp mango chutney (we used Geeta’s)• 1 tbsp olive oil• Vegetable oil for frying• Handful micro herbs or coriander leaves to garnish For the quick-pickled cucumber • 4 tbsp white wine vinegar• 2 tbsp caster sugar• ½ cucumber, peeled into 24…

Baked butternut squash, ricotta and spinach Serves 4 Hands-on time 20 min Oven time 1 hour 20 min – 1 hour 55 min You’ll also need 4 x 200g individual gratin dishes MAKE AHEAD Follow the recipe up to the end of step 2, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins (as in step 3), then freeze in a separate bag. Defrost, then finish the recipe. • 1 large butternut squash (about 1.2kg), halved lengthways and deseeded• ½ tsp caraway seeds, plus extra for sprinkling• ½ tsp crushed red chillies• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled• 2 tbsp olive oil• 100g baby spinach• 500g ricotta• 4 tbsp grated parmesan-style vegetarian cheese, plus extra to serve• 1 medium free-range egg, plus an extra yolk• Bunch…

Brussels sprouts cooked in foaming butter with crispy chestnuts Serves 8 Hands-on time 20 min NEXT TIME Leave out the chestnuts and foaming butter and blanch, refresh and fry the sprouts in 50g melted butter over a high heat. MAKE AHEAD Blanch, drain and refresh the sprouts under cold water 1 day beforehand. Pat dry with kitchen paper, then store in the fridge, covered in damp kitchen paper, until needed. KNOW-HOW Look for smaller sprouts – they’re sweeter and more tender than their larger counterparts and will have less of that sulphurous ‘sprouty’ aroma that puts some people off. • 1kg brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthways (see Know-how)• 100g butter, chopped into chunks• 2 tsp caster sugar• 1 tbsp sea salt• 200g vacuum-packed, cooked and peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped 1 Blanch the sprouts in a saucepan of boiling water…

Marsala-soaked fruit cake Serves about 30 Hands-on time 25 min Oven time 3.-4 hours, plus overnight soaking You’ll also need Electric hand mixer; deep 23cm round cake tin, greased and lined with a double layer of compostable baking paper; extra baking paper and foil MAKE AHEAD Wrap the baked cake in more compostable baking paper, then foil. Keep in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months. Unwrap occasionally to feed it with marsala. NEXT TIME Make the cake dairy free by replacing the butter with Flora Plant Butter. • 400g sultanas• 250g currants and raisins• 250g glacé cherries, chopped• 250g dried figs, chopped• 50g mixed peel• 6 tbsp sweet marsala or sweet sherry, plus extra for pouring• 300g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease (see Next Time)• 300g plain flour• 1 tsp ground mixed spice• ½…