Nature’s finest

Forget the nut roast and indulge in sumptuous veggie alternatives

PEAR AND STILTON TART There are few more Christmassy flavours than Stilton, and nothing goes with it quite as well as pear.

SERVES: 4

PREPARATION TIME: 35 minutes, plus chilling time COOKING TIME:

1 hour 5 minutes 4 shallots, finely chopped

55g butter, plus extra

A large pinch soft brown sugar

100g cranberries

150ml red wine

300g good-quality shortcrust pastry 60ml whole milk

60ml double cream

1 medium egg Freshly grated nutmeg 4 firm pears, peeled 75g Stilton, crumbled

1 For the cranberry relish, fry half the shallots in 30g butter until softened. Turn up the heat; add the sugar until the shallots caramelise a little. Stir in the cranberries and wine and simmer until reduced by a third. Season.

This can be made two days ahead.

2 Flour a worktop. Roll out the pastry to a 3mm thickness. Use to line four 3cm-deep, 9cm-diameter flan tins. Trim off any excess. Prick the bases with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.

3 Heat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line each tin with baking parchment and baking beans. Bake blind for 12 minutes, then remove the paper and beans. Bake for another five minutes until the pastry is cooked through.

4 Meanwhile, gently fry the other two shallots in the remaining butter for five minutes until softened. Whisk together the milk, cream and egg with a grating of nutmeg.

5 Turn down the oven to 170°C/ gas mark 3. Spread the shallot over the base of each tartlet. Cut the pears in half widthways and put the top half of the fruit into each tartlet. Arrange the cheese around the pears. Put the tartlets on a baking sheet. Pour in the cream mixture, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the filling is set, golden and puffy. Serve with a drizzle of roomtemperature cranberry relish.