Christmas nut roast

Name: Christmas nut roast
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 400g butternut squash, cut into 2cm cubes; 3 tsp smoked paprika; 2 cloves garlic, skin on; 2 leaves sage, finely chopped; 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the tin; 1 onion, finely chopped; 200g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 125g red lentils; 300ml vegetable stock; 4 medjool dates, pitted and sliced; 50g soft white breadcrumbs; 150g mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts and brazil nuts work well), chopped; 2 large eggs, beaten; 3 tbsp butter; 50g pecans or walnuts; 4-6 leaves sage; 1 tbsp runny honey; a pinch smoked paprika; 1 medjool date, sliced

Preparation and cooking time
- Total time2 hrs
Easy
Serves 6

Ingredients

400g butternut squash, cut into 2cm cubes
3 tsp smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, skin on
2 leaves sage, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the tin
1 onion, finely chopped
200g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp soy sauce
125g red lentils
300ml vegetable stock
4 medjool dates, pitted and sliced
50g soft white breadcrumbs
150g mixed nuts (pecans, walnuts and brazil nuts work well), chopped
2 large eggs, beaten

FOR THE TOPPING

3 tbsp butter
50g pecans or walnuts
4-6 leaves sage
1 tbsp runny honey
a pinch smoked paprika
1 medjool date, sliced

Method

STEP 1
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Toss the squash, 1 tsp of the paprika, all the garlic and sage, and 1 tbsp of olive oil with some seasoning on a roasting tray and cook for 20 minutes until tender and lightly golden at the edges.
STEP 2
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 10 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes until all the moisture has evaporated and they begin to turn golden. Stir in the remaining 2 tsp of paprika, all the tomato purée, soy sauce, lentils and stock, and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are tender and the stock has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
STEP 3
Stir the dates, breadcrumbs, nuts and eggs into the cooled lentil mixture, add some seasoning, then fold in most of the roasted squash, leaving 6-8 cubes for the topping. Squeeze the garlic from the skins, and fold through the mix.
STEP 4
Oil and line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper. Spoon the mixture into the tin, packing it down with the back of a spoon. Cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 20 minutes until golden-topped and coming away from the sides of the tin. Rest for 10 minutes before inverting the nut roast onto a serving platter.
STEP 5
While the nut roast is resting, melt the butter in a frying pan until foaming, then fry the nuts and sage for 2 minutes until the sage is crisp, then briefly stir in the reserved squash pieces, the honey, paprika and sliced date. Spoon over the nut roast to serve.