Nutty Treats

A nut roast is a rich and savoury dish consisting of nuts, grains, vegetable oils, broth or butter, and seasonings formed into a firm loaf shape or long casserole dish before roasting. Nut roasts are commonly made with any single type or complementary combination of nuts and legumes desired such as walnuts, cashew nuts, pistachios and peanuts and even lentils. The nuts may be whole, chopped up, or ground and are typically combined with one or several starches such as bread crumbs or day old bread, cooked rice. 

The nuts and the starches are bound together with aromatics such as onions, garlic, or leeks, with fresh vegetable broth and olive oil or butter. Seasoning is provided by complementary herbs of the cook's choosing. Sautéed mushrooms or flavored oil, or tomatoes or cheese may be added for extra flavour and variety of texture. The whole mixture is then roasted or baked in a loaf pan or other baking dish until firm or a crust forms, and then served with side dishes. Whole nuts may be used as a garnish or decoration for the completed roast.

Here is a Almond, Cashew, Sesame and Cheese Nut roast recipe: 
(Serves 6-8)

# 2 tbsp of butter / olive oil
# 1 small onion, finely chopped
# 1/2 cup risotto / basmati / brown rice
# 1-1/4 cups hot water / vegetable stock
# 1 large carrot, grated or 3 medium parsnips, cooked and mashed with a little butter
# 1 large leek / celery, trimmed and chopped finely
# 2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
# 3/4 cup chopped almonds
# 1/2 cups of walnuts and pecans
# 4 cloves crushed garlic
# 1/2 cups cashew nuts
# 3/4 cup cottage / cheddar cheese
# 110g fresh breadcrumbs or 1 teaspoon yeast extract
# 3 eggs
# 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
# Salt and freshly ground pepper
# 1/2 cups mushrooms
# 1 large handful of parsley leaves, chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C (350 F) and line a large loaf tin with baking paper.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic gently for 2-3 minutes until soft. Place the rice in a small saucepan and cover with one cup of water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat right down to its lowest possible setting, clamp a lid on tightly and leave, untouched, for 45 minutes.

Add the stock, bring to the boil and then simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Add a little extra water if necessary. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Season well.

Toast the chopped almonds, cashew nuts and sesame seeds in a dry non-stick frying pan until golden and fragrant for 5 minutes. Cool on a plate. Grind them in a nut mill, blender or mincer, then mix with the breadcrumbs / yeast extract.

Soak the mushrooms in hot water to cover for 20 minutes. Drain well, then chop the mushrooms. Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the chopped mushrooms until soft.

Add the carrot, leek, sesame seeds, almonds, cottage cheese, then stir through the grated cheddar, beaten eggs, dry ingredients, and then mix in the mashed parsnips, parsley, herbs and celery to the mixture until soft for about 6 minutes or so. Add the fried onion, being sure to scrape the pan so that all the juices go in as nut roasts can sometimes be a little dry. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

  

Grease a 500gm loaf tin or shallow steel bowl with butter, then press in half the nut mixture. Add the sautéed chopped mushrooms and then the remainder of the nut mixture. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 1– 1 ¼ hours until the top is burnished and golden, until set and firm and the loaf coming away easily from the sides of the tin. 

When cooked, remove the loaf from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before turning it out and gingerly slicing with a serrated knife. Serve hot or cold with tomato sauce.

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