Melt-in-the-Middle Nut and Mushroom Roast with Chive Gravy

Ingredients

For the rice roast

• 150g brown basmati rice
• 1 medium onion diced finely
• 1 stick celery, finely diced
• 250g Portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium yellow pepper, roughly sliced
• 100g cashew nuts
• 30g wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 2 medium free-range eggs
• 3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• salt and pepper, for seasoning
• 150g brie, sliced

for the chive gravy

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, with the skins left on
• 60g salted butter
• 30g plain white flour
• 10g tomato purée
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire-style sauce
• 400ml vegetable stock, kept hot in a small saucepan
• salt and pepper, for seasoning
• 5g fresh chives, cut with scissors

for the hasselback potatoes

• 4 small sweet potatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• salt and pepper, for seasoning

for the roasted celeriac

• 500g celeriac, cut into wedges
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the sweetheart cabbage

• 50g salted butter
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 sweetheart cabbage, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper, for seasoning

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
2. Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
3. To make the rice roast: In a saucepan of boiling water, cook the brown basmati rice to the packet instructions. When done, drain in a sieve and run under cold running water to cool down quickly. Leave the rice in sieve over a pan to drain off completely for 5 minutes.
4. In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and fry the onions for 5 minutes, until they start to soften.
5. Add the celery and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and peppers then cook for another 5 minutes.
6. In a separate pan, over a medium heat or under the grill, toast the cashew nuts. Chop roughly.
7. In a bowl, mix together the cooled rice, mushroom mixture, toasted cashew nuts and the rest of the ingredients, except the brie.
8. Place a layer of the rice mix into the loaf tin filling it one third of the way up.
9. Put the sliced brie in a strip along the middle of the rice mix lengthwise. Leave a gap at each end so the cheese is roughly 2cm from the ends of the tin.
10. Pack the rest of the rice mix on top of the cheese and press down gently to flatten the top. Place in the oven to bake for 45 minutes. The loaf should feel firm and set once done.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes before serving, as this makes it easier to slice and stay in one piece. While the loaf is cooking, start on the accompaniments.
12. To make the gravy: Toss the garlic cloves in a little oil and wrap in a little pouch of foil.
13. Roast the garlic for 15-20 minutes. It should feel soft when done. Leave the garlic to cool down slightly and then squeeze the cloves out of their skins.
14. In a small saucepan, add the butter and melt over a low heat. Once melted, add the flour and tomato purée, stirring so that it forms a smooth paste.
15. Cook the flour mixture for two minutes, then add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and slowly stir in the hot vegetable stock.
16. Crush up the garlic with a fork and add to the gravy. Allow to cook for 15 minutes.
17. Check the consistency and season to taste. Just before serving, add the chives.
18. To make the Hasselback potatoes: Cut lots of thin, deep slices into the top of the sweet potato. Place on a tray and bake for 20 minutes.
19. Mix the garlic with the oil. After the 20 minutes cooking time is up, drizzle over the potatoes with a little salt and pepper. Cook for a further 30 minutes or until cooked through.
20. To make the celeriac: In a bowl, toss the celeriac wedges thoroughly with the garlic and oil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.
21. To make the cabbage: In a saucepan, add the butter and 1 tbsp water. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Add the cabbage and cook until tender. Season to taste.