This delicious vegetarian cashew and mushroom roast features in my meal plans from time to time and is always a hit. It is from Sarah Brown’s classic veggie cookery book, Vegetarian Kitchen
You could make your cashew and mushroom roast gluten free very easily by whizzing up the ends of a gluten free loaf for the breadcrumbs. Leave out the egg and fry your mushrooms in oil to make it vegan. I am sure it will bind pretty well without it.
There are lots of reasons to eat more vegetarian food. We are hearing constantly about how we should all help to avert the climate crisis by eating less meat and dairy.
Also, nuts are really good for you, containing a plethora of heart healthy fatty acids, vitamins and minerals (see this post from Nutrition and You for more detail).
Layered Cashew and Mushroom Roast
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8oz (225g) cashew nuts
4 oz (110g) fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
3 med parsnips, cooked and mashed
1tsp rosemary
1tsp thyme
1 tsp yeast extract, dissolved in 1/4 pint boiling water
Seasoning
1 0z (25g) butter
8 oz (225g) mushrooms
Method
Heat the oven to 180C. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil gently until soft. Grind the cashew nuts (I just whizz them in my food processor), then mix with the breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg, then stir in the mashed parsnips, herbs and onion. Mix well and then add the yeast extract dissolved in the hot water. Season with some salt and pepper.
Melt the butter or oil and saute the chopped mushrooms. Grease and line a 2lb (900g) and press in half of the nut mixture. Cover with the mushrooms and then top with the rest of the nut mix. Press down, cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. I like to remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to slightly brown the top. Leave it in the tin for another 10 minutes to cool before turning it out and slicing.
We enjoy this with all the usual Sunday roast trimmings and some veggie gravy.
I wish I knew what had happened to Sarah Brown. She has some other books available but nothing very recent. I keep saying it is high time there was another vegetarian TV series, so maybe she will come back?
I also love her Red Dragon Pie recipe, which has long been a favourite in our house. Check out my other favourite recipes here.
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This sounds really good – thank you.
This sounds lovely, Jane. One question – three parsnips? These have a strong, somwhat sweet, flavour. Do they not ‘take over’ and are rather prominent from all the other ingredients? I’ve always found I’ve had to rein back on parsnips in most recipes, but this sounds so delicious I feel like trying it!
Margaret P
They make it slightly sweet but don’t over power it at all. It’s really tasty!
I can’t stand parsnips so have always substituted potatoes. I sometimes wrap it in another layer of mushrooms and puff pastry and then remake it – if I’m serving it at Christmas it gives it a turkeyish look and makes it a little more glamorous!
That sounds delicious! I never thought about wrapping it in pastry but that would really work.
Would this be ok to make ahead and freeze? Could I then turn it out when defrosted and wrap in puff pastry do you think? I’m a fairly recent vege and want something special for Christmas.
I have frozen it before. It still tastes good but gets a bit crumbly and less firm once defrosted
No the parsnips do not overpower this dish. I have been making this for about 15 years and it is lovely
Ooh thanks, I’ll give it a go when my family have recovered a bit!
The 95% vegetarian meals since 2 left for uni is proving a bit much for some of those stomachs more used to burgers and chips!!! 😀
Sarah Brown is still around https://twitter.com/SarahBrownUK?lang=en
Arilx
Think that is a different Sarah Brown. She is married to Gordon Brown.
Thank you for this, Jane. It has been difficult finding a nut roast which I can use. Cashews are the easiest nuts for me to eat, as I can, unfortunately, react unfavourably to most. And I am allergic to tomatoes. Which are in most nut roasts. But – there are none, here. Yay!
Let me know if you enjoy it
I have often wondered what has happened to Sarah Brown. She must be fairly long in the tooth now (not that, that matters). Would love to see her back in action.
My kind of food, definitely! I will be trying this.
this is one of my favourites – have been making it for over 30 years.I was just googling it as someone on the Riverford facebook page asked for a good nut roast recipe for xmas I ive only got it in one of the her recipe books and this is perfect isnt it. I also love her Red Dragon Pie -it’s so rich and nourishing.
Yes Ive often wondered what happenend to her – she was so lovely
Me too! Those two are my favourites.
I have been vegetarian for over 30 years and always have this for Christmas dinner with her red wine and tomato sauce in the same book. Since becoming vegan I have still had it but replaced the egg with a flax egg and like you say – have used olive oil or unflavoured coconut oil instead of butter.
It such a good recipe!