What to cook a vegetarian at Christmas - Cashew Nut Roast with Mushroom and Sherry sauce

I promised to post the recipe for the Cashew Nut Roast with Mushroom and Sherry sauce.

Every year when mum (below) makes it, we look at it and think - this isn't going to fill us.

Me (right) and my sister Lorna


However, every year - it does. It's really filling so you'll only need a few veggies to go round it.

We put the roast in the middle of the plate and surround it with colourful veg.

Pop a sprig of holly on top and voila - vegetarian Christmas.

The cook - mum (Barbara Kelly)

You've got to make the mushroom sauce to go with it though - it really goes well together.

Even meat eaters (who often don't think vegetarian food is substantial enough) enjoy this roast.


I recomment colourful veg but not parsnips as they're already in the nut roast.

Maybe carrots, sprouts and celeriac.




The recipe is:

Serves 6-8

1 tbl spoon of oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
8oz (225g) cashew nuts
4 oz (110g) fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
3 medium parsnips, cooked and mashed with a little butter
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary or 0.5 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 0.5 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon yeast extract
0.25 pint (150ml) hot water or stock
salt and freshly ground pepper
1oz (25g) butter
8oz (225g) mushrooms, chopped
butter for greasing tin


Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350F (180C).Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Grind the cashew nuts in a nut mill, blender or mincer, then mix with the breadcrumbs. Beat the egg and add it to the dry ingredients, then mix in the mashed parsnips and herbs. 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.

Dissolve the yeast extract in hot water or stock and add to the other ingredients. Season well.Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the chopped mushrooms until soft. Grease a 2lb(900g) loaf tin 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 for one hour. When cooked, remove the loaf from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before turning it out. Serve hot or cold.

Mushroom and sherry sauce (makes 1.25 pints/550ml sauce)
1 oz (25g) butter
8 oz (225g) mushrooms, wiped and quartered
1 tablespoon sherry
4 teaspoons flour
1 pint (570ml) strong vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper