THE BEST CHRISTMAS NUT ROAST EVER

MY TASTY nut roast will keep your vegetarian guests happy, and possibly quite a few meat-eaters, too! Cook this in a non-stick Bundt tin, brioche tin or ring mould. Or use a loose-bottomed cake tin. If it was made ahead and is being reheated, turn the cooked dish upside down on a serving platter and leave the mould in place while warming through in the oven. If using a microwave and the mould is metal, remove it before heating and replace with cling film.

SERVES 8-10 For the nut layer

225g mixed nuts 115g fresh white breadcrumbs 2tbsp sunflower oil 2 onions, finely chopped

55g button mushrooms, coarsely chopped

3 tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 tbsp tomato puree ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 small egg, beaten Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the spinach layer

1kg spinach, stalks removed 30g butter 2 cloves garlic, crushed

For the chestnut layer

1tbsp sunflower oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 sticks celery, finely chopped

225g unsweetened chestnut puree

1 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs

115g vacuum-packed whole chestnuts Parsley, chopped 85g pitted prunes

To serve

Braised chestnuts in red wine, (See Saturday’s pullout in Weekend Magazine or find it at www.dailymail.co.uk/ femail/food/article5125921/Prues-perfectChristmas-day-Braisedchestnuts.

PULSE the nuts in a food processor to form very coarse crumbs (you can do this in batches). Tip into a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for about 10 minutes or until soft and transparent. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until the moisture has evaporated. Remove from the heat, cool a little and then tip into the nut mixture and mix with the tomato puree, nutmeg, cloves and egg. Season to taste. For the spinach layer, wilt the leaves in a deep pan of boiling water, then drain well. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the garlic, then the wilted spinach, and season to taste. To make the chestnut layer, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and celery and cook for 10 minutes until soft, but not brown. Add the chestnut puree and mix well. Take off the heat and mix in the breadcrumbs, then the chestnuts, parsley and prunes, keeping them as whole as you can, and season. Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4. To assemble the dish, lightly oil the tin, even if non-stick. Divide the nut mixture into four portions, and the spinach into two portions. Layer the mixtures into the tin, starting with the nut mixture. Then add a layer of spinach, a layer of nut, followed by the chestnut and nut, and finally a layer of spinach and the remaining nut mixture. Press down each layer with the back of a tablespoon, making sure the edges are neat. Cover with lightly oiled greaseproof paper and place on a baking sheet. Bake on the middle shelf for 35-40 minutes. (If making in advance, stop now, let it cool completely, then freeze or refrigerate in the tin. If frozen, thaw before cooking.) Turn up the oven to 220c/ fan 210c/gas 7. Allow the roast to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the piece of greaseproof paper and invert an oven-proof plate on top of the tin. Turn the tin and plate over together, shaking gently to dislodge the roast. Remove the tin and return the roast to the oven for a further 10 minutes or until browned. Top with braised chestnuts, if using and chopped parsley, and holly, if you have some, to decorate.