What do you do when you have a vegetarian over for Christmas dinner? It’s simple: make a stunning meat-free centre-piece for Christmas dinner, or at any other celebratory meals throughout the year, and let your vegan guests get bowled over. Here are three such recipes to try this Christmas:

 

Roasted Whole Cabbage

 

Ingredients

1 large head cabbage

3tbsp melted butter

1tbsp dijon mustard

2tsp maple syrup

1tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1/2tsp garlic powder

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp stalks celery, cut into quarters

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

½ yellow onion, cut into quarters

1tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1tbsp freshly chopped sage

1tbsp freshly chopped rosemary

1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

 

For the gravy

4tbsp butter

½ onion, finely chopped

100g cremini mushrooms, finely chopped

1tsp freshly chopped sage

1tsp freshly chopped rosemary

1tsp freshly chopped thyme

3tbsp all-purpose flour

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

 

Method

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut stem off cabbage so it can sit flat. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, mustard, maple syrup, Worcestershire, and garlic powder, and season liberally with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine celery, carrots, onion, oil, and chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place vegetable mixture in a large, oven-safe skillet. Nestle cabbage in the center, on top of the vegetables, and brush all over with half the melted butter mixture. Pour half of vegetable broth into the bottom of the skillet and cover cabbage with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes.

When 45 minutes have passed, remove foil and brush with remaining butter mixture. Add remaining ¼ cup broth and bake until cabbage is tender and slightly charred, 45 minutes more. (Pierce cabbage with a paring knife to check if it’s ready.)

Meanwhile, make gravy: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring until soft, 6 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are soft and golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute, then whisk in 3 cups of broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture has thickened to your desired consistency. Slice cabbage into large wedges and serve with gravy. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

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Creamy Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

30g shiitake dried black mushrooms

4 cups vegetable broth

300g cremini mushrooms, quartered

5tbsp salted butter, divided, cut into cubes

1tbsp minced garlic

1tbsp chopped parsley

1/4 cup white vinegar, divided

½ cup minced shallots

1½ cups Arborio rice

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Method

Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a saucepan with vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, discard mushrooms and return broth to stove over medium-low heat.Sauté cremini mushrooms in 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan and cook until well browned and most of liquid is gone. Add garlic and parsley and cook 2 additional minutes then deglaze with a splash of the vinegar. Cook until all liquid is gone and set aside.

Meanwhile, place a large, heavy bottom pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and shallots. Sauté until translucent, then add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add 2tbsp of vinegar and cook until almost all liquid is gone. Then add in a ladle of hot vegetable broth and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until all liquid is gone. Add in remaining broth and continue to cook rice, stirring constantly, until all liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and remaining cold butter.

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Tandoori Cauliflower

Ingredients

2 cups cauliflower florets 

1 cup yoghurt

1tsp ginger paste

1tsp garlic paste

2tsp garam masala

1tsp red chilli powder

½tsp turmeric

2tsp lemon juice

2tbsp oil

Salt – to taste

Chat masala (optional)

Method

Whip the curds, add all the ingredients in it, and mix well. Now take the cauliflower florets in a large bowl, add the marinade and toss, to coat well. Place in a refrigerator for at least one hour. Now place a foil sheet on tan oven grill and spread out the coated florets. Bake for 20 minutes at 200º C until tips get charred. 

You can also place all the florets in a nonstick wok and cook covered on medium flame for five minutes, then continue cooking open for ten minutes until the florets get well toasted.