Description[]
This nut loaf can be served hot or cold with a Spicy Cranberry Sauce for a vegetarian Christmas.
Ingredients[]
- 2 cups of nuts - any variety - try a mixture of walnuts, macadamias, and cashews
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 3 cups of fresh breadcrumbs (see instructions below)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 eggs
- Vegetables
- 5 carrots (or 3 cups when chopped)
- 2 onions
- 2 cups of mushrooms - any variety - try a mixture of different types such as portobello and shitake
- 1/2 capsicum (green pepper)
- one bunch of celery (or 1 1/2 cups when chopped)
- Herbs and seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Preparation[]
A food processor is strongly recommended as a lot of chopping is involved!
- Chop the mushrooms and celery.
- Finely chop the onion and green pepper.
- Chop most of the nuts finely, but leave 1/4 roughly chopped for texture.
- Peel and grate the carrots.
- Beat the eggs.
You can create the breadcrumbs by adding torn up slices of wholemeal bread to the food processor. Either use slightly stale bread or dry the bread out a little in a low temperature oven.
Grease 2 loaf tins and line them with baking paper.
Cooking directions[]
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Sauté onions and mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Season with basil, oregano, salt & pepper.
- In a very large bowl, add the mushroom mixture to the nuts and vegetables (green pepper, nuts, seeds, carrots, celery).
- Stir to cool it down, and then add the beaten eggs.
- Stir in 3 cups of bread crumbs.
- Fill the prepared loaf tins with the mixture.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for at least 50 minutes. Check the bottom of the loaf. If it is still liquidy, return to the oven. It may take 90 minutes to complete cooking.
Freezing[]
Can be prepared in advance and frozen. Defrost for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Reheat or eat cold.