Watch: Tips and recipe for the vegan/ vegetarian in your life this Christmas

WONDERING how to cater for the vegetarian or vegan at Christmas dinner this year? Watch our tips from Virginia O'Cara of My Goodness, in Cork's English Market. Also below, Lucy Stewart of Gort na Nain Farm Vegetable Stall shares a fabulous veggie recipe with us.

RECIPE - ROAST CROWN PRINCE

By Lucy Stewart 

My husband Ultan and I grow a wide range of chemical-free vegetables on our small farm in Nohoval.

We sell mainly to Paradiso restaurant in Cork and on our own veg stall at our farm gate. We also supply St Francis Provisions in Kinsale and My Goodness.

These recipes are based on two of my favourite seasonal vegetables – Crown Prince squash and purple sprouting broccoli. You are unlikely to find these for sale in a supermarket but they are delicious and well worth seeking out from a local grower.

The best place to find fresh local produce like this is direct from the grower at farmers’ markets or farm gate stalls. You could also try Neighbourfood, or a home-delivery service such as Cottage Garden Kinsale or Farmsy.

For more on Gort na Nain Farm see Facebook: Gort na Nain Farm Vegetable Stall and find us on Instagram @gort_na_nain

Roasted Crown Prince and walnut pie

Pastry

Ingredients (Serves 6)

450g plain flour

220g vegan butter (such as Narurli block or Flora Plant)

Pinch of salt

6-8tbsp cold water

2 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) for glazing the pie

Method:

• You will need a loose-bottom tart tin, or similar.
• Preheat the oven to 190 Degrees C
• Put the flour, butter and salt in a food processor and blitz until breadcrumb-like.
• Empty into a bowl and add cold water slowly, stirring with your hands until the mixture comes into a ball.
• Cover and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Walnut layer:

Ingredients

160g walnuts

1tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

50g soft breadcrumbs

5 sage leaves, finely chopped

1tsp miso (or marmite) dissolved in 3 tbsp boiling water.

Method:

• In a dry frying pan, toast the walnuts over a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Put the walnuts into a food processor and pulse until they are a mixture of powder and small pieces.
• Fry the onion in the olive oil for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and sage. Cook for a few more minutes until the onion is soft, then season with salt and pepper. Take off the heat and add in the walnuts, breadcrumbs and miso in water. Stir well.

Squash layer:

Ingredients

450g Crown Price squash, peeled and deseeded

2 leeks, chopped into 1cm slices

1tbsp Olive Oil

Pinch of chilli flakes

4tbsp vegan cream

Method:

• Toss the leeks and squash in the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and chilli flakes.
• Place on an oven tray and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
• Remove from the oven and stir in the cream.

In between:

4 tbsp cranberry sauce

To assemble:

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.

• Divide the pastry into two pieces one twice as big as the other. Roll out the bigger piece into a thin circle and fit it gently into the base of the tart tin, leaving the edges overlapping. Brush the overlap with aquafaba.
• Fill the pie first with the walnut mixture, then the cranberry sauce and then the squash mixture.
• Roll out the smaller piece of pastry and place on top. Crimp the pastry edges together with your fingers and trim the edges with a knife.
• You can use some of the leftover pastry to decorate the top of the pie.
• Brush the top with aquafaba and place the pie into the oven. Bake for 40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden

Purple Sprouting Broccoli with toasted almonds

Ingredients (Serves 6)

450g Purple Sprouting Broccoli

3tbsp olive oil

25g flaked almonds.

Method:

• Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until golden, tossing frequently. Make sure they don’t burn!
• Remove from the heat and place in a bowl when ready. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil.
• Add the broccoli and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the broccoli, place on a warmed serving dish and drizzle with olive oil.
• Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top and serve immediately.

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