SAGE & ONION CHESTNUT ROAST WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

THOMAS FRAKE, MASTERCHEF UK CHAMPION 2020

Serves 4-6

● 50g (1¾oz) dried cranberries

● 40g (1½oz) butter

● 2 white onions, very finely chopped or grated

● 2 parsnips, very finely chopped or grated

● 1 leek, very finely chopped

● 4 black garlic cloves, very finely chopped or mashed

● 150g (5½oz) chestnut mushrooms, chopped

● Zest of 1 orange

● 1tbsp chopped fresh sage

● 1tsp dried thyme

● 1tbsp yeast extract

● 100g (3½oz) walnuts, chopped

● 150g (5½oz) cooked chestnuts, finely chopped

● 50g (1¾oz) fresh brown breadcrumbs

● 100g (3½oz) cooked puy lentils

● 50ml (2fl oz) vegetable stock

● 2 eggs, beaten (or 100ml/

3½fl oz aquafaba – the liquid from a tin of chickpeas)

● Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

● Gravy, to serve

For the cranberry sauce

● 100g (3½oz) light brown sugar

● 100ml (3½fl oz) freshly squeezed orange juice

● 25ml (¾fl oz) port

● 250g (9oz) cranberries (fresh or frozen)

First make the cranberry sauce. Put the sugar, juice and port in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the cranberries, lower the heat and simmer for 6 minutes, or until they start to break down. Frozen ones will take a little longer. Stir, transfer to a container and chill for a few hours. The sauce will keep for 7 days in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/gas 6. Line a 1kg loaf tin with baking parchment. Soak the dried cranberries in hot water for 5 minutes and then drain.

Heat 20g of the butter (or 40ml olive oil if vegan) in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, parsnips, leek and black garlic. Cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, or until softened. Add the mushrooms to the pan. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, or until all the moisture has evaporated. Add the orange zest, sage, thyme and yeast extract, cook for a few minutes then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Add the walnuts, chestnuts, breadcrumbs, lentils, drained dried cranberries, stock and eggs (or aquafaba). Season, stir, then spoon into the tin, pressing down gently.

Dot the top of the loaf with the remaining 20g butter (or drizzle with 20ml olive oil if vegan). Cover with foil, and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the top is browned and the loaf is cooked. This can be checked by inserting a skewer into the loaf, and if it comes out clean it’s ready. Leave to stand for 20 minutes. Remove the loaf from the tin and remove the baking paper. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before slicing thickly and serving with the cranberry sauce and lashings of gravy.

Thomas Frake winning last year’s Masterchef with judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace