Are you wanting to cook something for that special someone? Try this recipe on for size, it is a great alternative to a traditional roast and veg dinner, with mushroom and aubergine balls, epic sprouts, celeriac mash with rosemary and gravy.
This fine dining experience for two will be a real vegan treat.
Serves 2
Ingredients
Mushroom and aubergine balls
• One red onion finely chopped
• 250g chestnut mushrooms cut into quarters
• 250g cubed aubergine
• I cup of cooked white quinoa
• 8 chopped fresh sage leaves
• 50g walnuts
• 1 teaspoon of salt
Epic sprouts
• 250g spouts
• 50g almonds
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1-2 finely grated garlic
Gravy
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 1 celery stick finely chopped
• 1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• ½ cup of red wine
• ¼ cup of red lentils
• 1 tablespoon of stock powder
Celeriac smash
• ½ large or one whole small celeriac peeled and cut into cubes
• 1-2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• Leaves from two sprigs of rosemary
• ½ teaspoon of salt
Method
For the mushroom and aubergine balls
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
2. Fry the onion, mushrooms and aubergines in little oil in a pan until cooked through
3. Blend the onion, mushroom and aubergine mix together with the chopped sage leaves, walnuts and salt
4. Put the quinoa in a bowl and mix in the mushroom aubergine mixture
5. Prepare a baking tray by covering with lightly oiled baking paper
6. Form into balls with your hands and place on tray
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until they are firm on the outside
For the epic sprouts
1. Cut the sprouts in half and remove the outer leaves
2. Cook in a pan with some olive oil
3. Add the almonds and cook for a couple of minutes
4. Add the lemon juice, garlic and a pinch of salt
5. Serve when the sprouts are tender
For the gravy
1. Cook the onion and celery in a pan with a little oil. If you prefer bits of onion in your gravy, you can reserve some onion and celery pieces to add after stage 6.
2. Part way through, add the garlic and cook until soft
3. Add the red wine and reduce by half over a medium heat
4. Add the lentils together with one and a half cups of water and the stock
5. Simmer until the lentils are soft
6. Blend until smooth, adding water if needed to achieve your preferred consistency
For the celeriac smash
1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan
2. Fry the chunks of celeriac for a few minutes
3. Add the rosemary, garlic and salt
4. Add a cup of water and simmer for 20 minutes or until the celeriac is soft
5. Smash together to your preferred consistency
