Delicious, Vegan Nut and Lentil Roast with Cranberry Sauce Gravy

Try this tasty (accidentally vegan) nut and lentil roast, with crispy roast potatoes and cranberry sauce gravy, as an alternative to a traditional meat roast. Almost all the ingredients selected are seasonal and from the UK (although some occasionally travelling as far as Spain), to have as a low carbon impact as possible! Try and buy local next time you shop, instead of importing all your food from across the globe.

Ingredients

Nut Roast
100g mixed nuts (roughly chopped)
150-200g red split lentils
2 large carrots (grated)
2 cooked beetroot balls (grated)
1/2 large leek (chopped)
1 red onion (chopped)
50g dried cranberries
20-40g breadcrumbs
1 egg (beaten)
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 clove garlic (crushed)

Gravy
g cranberry sauce
1 red onion (chopped)
1 tbsp cornflour (or plain flour)
1 vegetable stock cube (or chicken will do for non-veggies)

Roast Potatoes
g white potatoes (chunky)
1-2 tbsp plain flour
3 tsp paprika or jerk seasoning
1 tsp salt
cooking oil

Additional
Baking paper

Recipe

1. First, let's make the nut roast mixture. Fry onions for 5 mins on medium heat until softened. Whilst waiting, prepare 750ml stock. Add leak to mixture and fry for 3 mins. Then add carrots, beetroots and herbs/spices, and cook for a few mins. Now, add cranberries, nuts, lentils and stock; cover and turn to a low temp for 20-30 mins, until the lentils are softened. (Add more water if the mixture is dry and the lentils are hard)
2. Once mixture is quite sticky and not too wet, take off the heat and leave to cool. Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan, and boil water for the potatoes.
3. Once boiled, boil the potatoes in a pan for approx. 6 mins on high heat. Cover with lid for energy efficiency! After this, drain the potatoes with a colander and then shake colander with lid on top to get rough edges on the potatoes. Now add the flour and seasoning, and shake well. Place in a roasting tray with plenty of oil covering the potatoes, and cook for 50-60 mins until crispy and golden.
4. Now your nut roast mixture has cooled, add the egg and breadcrumbs, and mix well. Place the mixture in a loaf tin lined with baking parchment, and put in the oven once the potatoes only have 30-40 mins left.
5. Now, let's make the gravy! Fry onions in oil until softened on medium heat. Add cranberry sauce to onions and cook for 2 mins on a low heat. In the meantime, prepare 600ml stock. Once ready, slowly add stock to mixture, approx 100ml every couple of mins, and mix thoroughly.
6. In a mug, add cornflour and 2 tbsp cold water, and mix until completely liquid with no lumps. Add this to the gravy to thicken, stirring continuously as you pour. Keep gravy cooking on low-medium heat with lid covered until serving time. (If gravy's too watery, turn up heat. If gravy's too dry, add water). Add any seasoning you like, or even brown sugar for sweetness.
7. Prepare any vegetables you like! I chose steamed carrots and broccoli, with roasted parnips and courgettes!
8. Once the potatoes and nut loaf are ready, combine all elements onto one tasty looking plate, and ENJOY!