Nut Roast
As in previous years, nut roast will be on the table here at Christmas. Believe me, there is just as much anticipation for the Christmas nut roast as for other traditional Christmas roasts – one could almost quote a well-known Christmas text and talk about the “loveliest roast” (indælasteik). In a Christmas cooking show on Television 2, Rikka and I cooked this roast together, along with caramelized potatoes, red cabbage, and mushroom sauce.
— NUT ROASTS — CHRISTMAS — MUSHROOM SAUCES —
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Nut Roast
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- ½ red chili
- good oil for frying
- 1 box of mushrooms, finely chopped
- 200 g ground hazelnuts
- 200 g ground almonds
- approx. 7 slices whole wheat bread (to bind the mixture)
- about 200 ml vegetable stock
- 1 heaping tsp oregano
- 1 heaping tsp thyme
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- fresh basil
Sauté the onion and chili in a little oil, then set aside. Sauté the chopped mushrooms in oil, then set aside. Grind the hazelnuts and almonds (you can adjust the nut mix to taste, but use fewer fatty nuts like cashews or walnuts).
Put the nut mixture in a bowl, add the onion and mushrooms, and mix together.
Add the stock gradually, alternating with the finely grated bread. The dough should resemble a fairly firm bread dough (not pourable). If it’s too wet, add more bread; if too dry, add more stock.
Season the dough to taste with pepper and dried oregano (or another herb). Depending on the stock used, you may need to add salt—but probably at least a little.
Place three basil leaves, a sprig of rosemary, or other garnish in the bottom of a silicone loaf pan and spoon the dough over it—not too thick a layer (better to use several pans if needed). If the pan is not silicone, it’s best to use baking paper.
Bake for 45–60 minutes. Keep an eye on it. Temperature: 180–200°C (355–390°F).
Oven-Baked Side Dish (Stuffing)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- ½ box mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tsp mustard/honey mix
- approx. 3 slices of good whole wheat bread
- approx. 1 cup of good vegetable stock
- 1 cup pecans (or walnuts), pan-toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 green apple, chopped
- salt and pepper
- a little honey
Sauté the onion, celery, and mushrooms in a bit of oil until browned but not stewed.
Put the bread and vegetable stock in a pot, shredding the bread gradually and stirring everything well together—not too wet, but slightly moister than the nut roast.
Then add the toasted nuts, apple, salt, pepper, and honey. Mix together and season to taste.
Place in an oven-safe dish, press it down firmly, and bake covered (with a lid or foil) for about 50 minutes at 300–390°F. Remove the cover for the last 20 minutes.
