Go the extra mile for your meat-free Christmas table with festively bright, satisfying mains that have the wow factor
Brie & cranberry wreath
Tangy berries, creamy cheese and crunchy hazelnuts are nestled on a bed of light puff pastry for a crown-shaped centrepiece that delivers on presentation, flavour and texture. Serve with winter leaves and your favourite sides.
SERVES 8-10 PREP 15 mins plus cooling COOK 25 mins MORE EFFORT V
½ x 500g puff pastry block plain flour, for dusting 4 tbsp cranberry sauce 150g vegetarian brie 2 tbsp roasted hazelnuts, chopped 1 egg, beaten 2 tsp dried mixed herbs micro herbs or salad leaves, to serve (optional)
1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a large baking sheet inside. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a 5mm thickness. Cut out a 30cm circle, then score a smaller circle, around 10cm in diameter, inside it. From the centre point, score eight triangles within that inner circle, being careful not to cut them out completely. (These will help you to create the wreath shape later.) Transfer the pastry circle to a sheet of baking parchment.
2 Stir the cranberry sauce to loosen, then spread it over the larger outer circle of the pastry, in between the scored edge and outer edge. Slice the brie into 1cm-thick rectangles, then arrange these in a line on top of the cranberry sauce, leaving a 5cm border around the edge.
Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts evenly over all the slices of brie.
3 Fold the outside edge of the pastry halfway over the filling, then brush with some of the beaten egg. Bring the point of each cut triangle over to meet that folded edge. (See tip, opposite, for using any pastry offcuts.) Brush the pastry all over with the beaten egg and sprinkle over the dried herbs. Carefully slide the wreath onto the hot baking sheet in the oven, and bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown and the brie has melted. Leave to cool for 5-10 mins, then garnish with micro herbs or salad leaves, if you like, and serve.
PER SERVING (10) 185 kcals • fat 13g • saturates 6g • carbs 11g • sugars 3g • fibre 1g • protein 5g • salt 0.4g
Spinach, beetroot & goat’s cheese roulade
Our savoury roulade is bursting with Christmassy colours and the earthy flavours of beetroot, tangy goat’s cheese and fragrant herbs.
SERVES 8-10 PREP 25 mins plus cooling and chilling COOK 15 mins MORE EFFORT V
400g spinach 5 eggs, separated 3 tbsp self-raising flour 1 tbsp melted butter 1 tbsp milk 2 peeled and cooked
