I have created this wonderful assembly of veggies and exotic trimmings to accompany my “Huge Christmas Sausage Roast” (http://www.mouthwateringvegan.com/2012/12/06/huge-christmas-sausage-roast). I paid special attention to getting the perfect balance of taste, texture, aroma and colour in this festive platter. It combines tradition with an extra fruity dimension, which contrasts beautifully with the sausage roast, and will leave you and your guests with that warm, familiar feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment that only a real festive dinner like this can give you.
Serves 3 to 4 – increase the amounts if you wish
FRUITY BRUSSEL SPROUTS
INGREDIENTS
16 or so fresh brussel sprouts, peeled, washed, and crossed on the top with a sharp knife
6 whole star anise
1 tangerine or satsuma
the zest of ½ tangerine, cut into thin slices
¼ cup dried mixed currants, sultanas and raisins (whatever you wish is fine, one or the other, such as dried cranberries – I had a mixed dried berry selection and used that)
salt to taste
10 walnut halves, roughly chopped
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp thick cut marmalade
1 tsp sweetener of your choice – agave, maple, stevia – you choose
METHOD
- First steam the brussel sprouts for 5-8 minutes, until slightly tender but not over-cooked. They should retain their bright green colour, and not turn an olive colour. Now remove from the steamer and set aside.
- Assemble the sprouts in an oven proof dish, then place the tangerine or satsuma in the centre. Next, distribute the dried fruit as evenly as you can, and also the star anise. Finish off with the walnuts and zest too.
- Finally, place the marmalade, sweetener, olive oil, and salt, into a mug, and mix well with a fork, then pour this mixture over the top.
- Place in a preheated medium oven for 20 minutes, just so that the fruits plump up, and the surface turns a little golden. The juices and veggies will marry, and you will be left with a glorious veggie delight. Enjoy the exotic flavours.
GOLDEN MAPLE CARROT & PARSNIP
This carrot and parsnip roast is very simple indeed, and magical in taste.
INGREDIENTS
3 carrots, washed and scrapped (make sure they are sweet by tasting them raw first)
3 parsnips, washed and scrapped
30 mL olive oil
salt to taste
30 mL maple syrup
METHOD
- Cut the veggies lengthways, and steam until soft (but don’t allow them to break down though – place a fork in them, if they are tender, they are ready)
- Next, place the veggies in an ovenproof dish. Meanwhile, place the remaining ingredients in a cup, and pour over the top.
- Place in a preheated 400ºF (200ºC) oven for half an hour, or until very golden. They are then ready to serve.
APPLE & APRICOT XMAS FEAST (veggie accompaniment)
This is a super accompaniment with the veggies, which really contrasts beautifully with the slightly bitter taste of the brussels, and compliments the carrots and parsnips. It will also go down a storm with my Cheddar’d Potatoes. So make this – it’s easy.
INGREDIENTS
14 or so dried apricots
3 green apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into orange-like segments
1 cup (250 mL) water
METHOD
Place the above ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat, and simmer gently for 25 minutes or so, or until the apricots are fully hydrated and swollen. You may need to add a little more water during the cooking time, so keep your eyes on them. You should be left with a nice pulp – the apples will have broken down to create a rich fruity finish – the apricots will be soft, but mostly whole, and there will be a golden-like syrup that is derived from the apricots and water – it’s delicious.
NOTE : Assemble all your vegetables together as per the pic, but serve your potatoes in their own serving dish, and your roast alone. This will look impressive, and really make people think, and also see just how wonderful vegan food can be.
All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010
These are free recipes for your pleasure – all we ask in return is that you take a few moments to leave us a constructive comment !
suitable for vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike
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I know know what I will be serving for Christmas your sausage roast, exotic Xmas Veggies and Trimmings, Golden Cheddar’d Potatoes, and cupcakes. It is a toss-up with chocolate or something else. There are so many choices.
Sherri you sure are going to have a Mouthwatering Vegan Delightful Xmas, but please wait until tomorrow for pudding as I have created something so very, very easy to make for dessert and it’s a cross between a pudding and a chocolate crumbly surprise – which is gluten free and you can serve it with my recommended cashew cream. Come back tomorrow at this time and it will be on my home page. One last thing, please come back and comment on my blog as and when. Also, I have another roast coming up tomorrow – so don’t be shocked when you see Roast No. 2 this one you have chosen is awesome and great for impressing non-vegans, but also if you love the idea of the sausage, which I admit, I do. The second one is for people who are a little more puritan and don’t like fake meat substitutes for their own reasons. Just the same No.2 is going to be very, very good too. Enjoy !
Many thanks for the Pingback there World News For Life ! 🙂
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Dear Miriam, I just recently discovered your page and love it! I went vegan only about two months ago so everything is still very new to me and I’m trying out new dishes daily. For Christmas I’m going to make your Exotic Xmas Veggies and Trimmings (along with a nut roast and lemon potatoes). I’ll let you know how it went and how the meat-loving family liked the vegan dinner.
Hi there Bianca and welcome here. I am delighted to hear that you will be trying this out. Hope you enjoy it and I look forward to your feedback on it as and when. Best Wishes for the Festive Season !
As a newbie to your FB page and blog, I want to take a moment to thank you. So many vegans with blogs have focused heavily on dessert type items and less on food. Your recipes for FOOD are very greatly appreciated.
Mike Hi there and welcome here. Many thanks for dropping by here with your comment. Another thank you for your wonderful words of appreciation ! I am impassioned with the whole idea of creating vegan food, with an emphasis on savoury, as that is what we want is the main stay of most people’s diet. There is a place for great desserts too, and that is why when I do create one, it’s a special one – because I view desserts as a treat ! Best wishes your way and I look forward to your future comments on my blog !
Hi Miriam, thank you too for this link for vegetables to go with the golden cheddar’d potatoes and the nut roast. I too share the sentiments regarding the comments made by Mike V and Bianca, that there are too many vegan recipes that give out just sweet dishes, and I havent got a sweet tooth, savouries are my downfall but this is a fabulous blog here that you have and I always find my mouth watering in delicious anticipation of trying out your posted recipes, but I usually have to go shopping first for the more ‘unusual’ items before I can make the dishes suggested, but that just adds to the fun and new knowledge of cooking something very different than what’s out there. I have not done so yet, but I am planning on starting today with the nut roast and I may just have to eat it before I freeze it for Xmas day! (I hope I can freeze it, once its cooked, can you advise please??) lol Thanks once again for pointing me in the right direction and of course, I will be back to tell you how it all went with my veggies son and daughter in law who I shall be spending Christmas with and intend to experiment on with these dishes. Have a very happy Holidays Miriam and please, keep on creating! ;^) Love Michelle xx
Hi there Michelle and thanks for dropping by here with your comment. I am glad that you are going to make the roast with the trimmings. What I have been advising for the roast if one wishes to freeze it is to make the filling, freeze that if you wish or make it a day or two before hand and refrigerate. Next step would be to thaw the ready made pastry (JusRol is a great brand, and vegan) the night before Xmas and then assemble the lot Xmas morning – it will take you a half hour to do this and to make your cheddar’d potatoes. As for the veggies, so long as they have been cut and soaked in cold water and placed in the fridge, all that remains is for you to drain them and quickly make them according to the recipe. Now the key factor in all this is to have the ingredients readily available for your use (including the utensils needed) the night before – all will be well thereafter. Best wishes and report back as and when you’ve tasted the recipes. Happy Holidays to you too and join our brand new newsletter for more Michelle if you haven’t already, all you have to do is say the word and I will add you (it’s a monthly one and the 1st of them is due out a few weeks from now). 🙂
just tried it and it was great!! thanks for this recipe! 🙂
Doris thanks so much for the great feedback – glad you made and enjoyed it !
I am in awe of your beautiful recipes. Thank you sooo much. You’ve possibly saved many lives, and extended mine for sure! God Bless, and Merry Christmas.
Many thanks indeed for your very kind words Gelliescent ! I hope I have saved a few lives in my lifetime and intend to continue on this path in the quest of saving many more ! Merry Christmas to you too and I sure hope you enjoy my recipes – come back with your feedback anytime.
Hi Miriam!
Looks amazing! I NEED to prepare this for my non-vegan, non-vegetarian, meat-needy family! But I cannot find parsnips or brussel sprouts (living in Honduras!). What can I do?
Thanks!
Cindy Hi there and welcome here. Make the Cheddar’d potatoes that I recommended, and I am hoping you are going to make one of my roasts, no ? Serve with peas, carrots cooked in olive oil maple syrup and salt and that should do the trick, especially if you are making the stewed fruits from this recipe. Let me know how it all goes. Best wishes your way in the meantime !
Hey Miriam,
What could I use instead of star anise. I know I sound daft, but I just hate the taste. :/ Freaks me out. Don’t know why. I am weird. What could you recommend?
Thanks.
Chantal
Hi there Chantal, the star anise is really and mostly a decoration, but you can use cloves instead. Hope this helps.
THanks Miriam. I am off to buy the ingredients for this wonderful feast. I live in Central Australia and the temps at Christmas get well over 100 F but we pretend that it is snowing outside and love our Christmas roasts!
Merry Christmas!
Kate
Kate Hi there and great to hear from you out there in the blazing heat ! and still insisting upon a Roast in the Southern Hemisphere – how wonderful ! A huge Kudos goes to your for this and a wonderful sense of humour to go with it ! I suppose one can always lower the temperature at home with an air conditioning unit 🙂 – do let me know how it all goes and what roast you are making etc. . . also if you wish to be added to my new monthly newsletter, just say the word. Best wishes for the holidays to you and your family !
Miriam, thanks again for your lovely recipes! We just finished our Christmas dinner and the whole family just oooohed and aaaahed over the wonderful food! All the meat-lovers and vegetable-haters were delighted! And I’m looking forward to the leftovers for tomorrow’s dinner 🙂
Thanks again for sharing your recipes. This one and the a slight adaptation of your roulade went down a treat today with me & hubby & our 96 year old neighbour – she LOVED it all!
Thank you, hope you’re having a lovely Christmas!
Cathy
The fruity brussel sprouts were the perfect side dish. The brussel sprouts really picked up the orange flavor. Delicious!
Thanks there Jennifer, so glad you enjoyed them, it’s a great way of diminishing the very often bitter taste that brussels can have, and they marry so well with the marmalade. Best wishes your way in the meantime !
Hi there Cathy, thanks for that – What a success, kudos to you for making this and my Roulade – so glad it all worked out so well and enjoyed also by your 96 year old neighbour, how wonderful ! 🙂
Hi there Bianca and thanks for your wonderful feedback – what a success story, I love the ooooes and aaaahes, very complimentary I must say – also a huge kudos to you for serving all this up. Great when you can have the same the next day and not be engaged in the kitchen, what a break ! Best wishes your way in the meantime ! Did you make one of my roasts incidentally as the main ? 🙂
This was so yummy, especially the sprouts, absolutely delicious! Thank you!
Thanks there Silvia, so great to know ! Happy Holidays to you 🙂
wil also try this as another side for my party! thank you!
Fabulous idea Christy – let me know how it goes as and when 🙂 !
Hi Miriam,
Just letting you know that I tried the recipe and the one for the potatoes also… with some variations because we don’t have too many vegans in Honduras. But people loved it for the most part.
Thank you very much, I am learning soooo much from your site!
Thanks there Cindy, great of you to drop by with your comment and feedback. I look forward to your future comments on my blog ! Best wishes your way in the meantime !