SUNDAY ROAST WITH SAVOURY STUFFING & SPECIAL GRAVY

This roast has long been a favourite centrepiece for a Sunday lunch or festive meal in our homes. We are quite traditional, so we like to have something to carve, and this is wonderful served with the delicious gravy and some roast vegetables.

Serves 6-8

Crust

• 3tbsp olive oil, plus extra to grease

• 1tbsp garlic powder

• 1tbsp ground flax seeds or ground almonds

• 3 x Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages (about 150g), or others of your choice

• 2 x Linda McCartney vegetarian burgers, or others of your choice

• 130g Linda McCartney vegan mince, or alternative of your choice

• 1tbsp soy sauce or tamari

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Savoury stuffing

• 4tbsp olive oil

• 3 celery sticks, tough strings removed, finely chopped

• 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped

• 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

• 12 sage leaves, very finely chopped

• 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and very finely chopped • 400g breadcrumbs

• 250ml warm water

• Leaves from a small bunch of flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped Special gravy

• 2tbsp olive oil

• 120g mushrooms, finely chopped

• 2tbsp red miso

• 2tbsp hot water

• 600ml vegetable stock

• 1tsp garlic powder

• 2tbsp soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease a 900g loaf tin with oil and line it with baking paper. Put all the crust ingredients in a food processor and season well.

Blitz until everything is very finely chopped and the mixture holds together when pressed firmly between your fingers. Transfer the mixture to the lined loaf tin and firmly press it out over the base and up the full height of the sides of the tin, compacting it as you go with your hands or the back of a spoon. Cover and refrigerate.

Meanwhile, for the stuffing, add the oil to a large non-stick frying pan and place it over a medium heat. Add the celery, onions and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Then add the sage and rosemary and fry for another 3-5 minutes until you smell the aromas. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the breadcrumbs, warm water and parsley. Mix well and season generously to taste.

Tip the mixture into the cavity of the crust you made earlier and smooth it out, so the crust and filling are flat and even at the top. Bake in the oven for 1 hour, until browned and firm to the touch. Remove and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert the tin on to a serving dish. Serve alongside some roast vegetables and the special gravy.

SPECIAL GRAVY

Put the olive oil into a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté them for 10-12 minutes, until softened and browned.

Put the miso into a bowl and mix with the hot water to make a paste. Add this to the pan of mushrooms together with the stock, garlic powder and soy sauce. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the gravy into a blender and purée until smooth. Taste and add more soy sauce, if necessary. Pour the gravy back into the pan and reheat just before serving.