Viva!’s Deluxe Chestnut, Port & Thyme Strudel

Name: Viva!’s Deluxe Chestnut, Port & Thyme Strudel
Ingredients: 1 packet puff pastry, defrosted; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 sticks celery, finely sliced; 450g/1lb chopped nuts; 1 packet vacuum-packed pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped; 1 tin of chestnut puree; 60g/2oz breadcrumbs; 2-3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/2 tsp dried; 4 tbsp/60ml port; 1 tbsp soya milk; Salt and black pepper; Sprout mixture; 10 Brussels sprouts; 1 tbsp Pure margarine or other dairy-free spread; Ground black pepper to taste; Soya sauce if flash frying

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A delicious Christmas roast – also suitable for any chilly-weather Sunday dinner!

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Ingredients

1 packet puff pastry, defrosted
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
450g/1lb chopped nuts
1 packet vacuum-packed pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped
1 tin of chestnut puree
60g/2oz breadcrumbs
2-3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped, or 1/2 tsp dried
4 tbsp/60ml port
1 tbsp soya milk
Salt and black pepper

Sprout mixture

10 Brussels sprouts
1 tbsp Pure margarine or other dairy-free spread
Ground black pepper to taste
Soya sauce if flash frying

Instructions

1. Pre heat oven to 180°C/350° F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Lightly fry the onions, garlic and celery until soft. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and stir.

3. Steam the sprouts until just tender then mash with margarine and pepper. Alternatively, shred them and flash fry in a little oil then drizzle with soya sauce just at the end.

4. Line a baking tray with foil. Oil it then mould half the filling into a rectangle. Using a spoon, make an indentation down the centre and spoon in the sprout mixture, pressing down. Layer the rest of the filling on top and smooth off with a palette knife into a rectangle. Bake for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, flour the work surface and rolling pin and roll thinly into a rectangle, three times the width of the filling. Using two fish slices, carefully move the filling on to the pastry. Cut neatly round it, removing excess pastry in whole pieces.

6. Use this excess pastry to cut into thin strips. Layer half of the strips diagonally and neatly across the strudel – see the picture above. Place the other half of the strips in the other direction, creating a lattice effect. Brush with soya or other plant milk.

7. Use any excess pieces of pastry to decorate the strudel with holly leaf shapes and berries or anything else you fancy – and also brush these with a little plant milk.

8. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

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