This is a recipe (originally created for Xmas & Festive times) designed and created for the more ‘purist’ type of vegan palette – those that don’t like fake meat, for whatever reason.

Delicious, moist, with a wonderful texture, aroma and flavour packed into one impressive dish, it makes the perfect Sunday Roast (and much loved by non-vegans too, see comments below) – here it is, with a hint of spice (omit if you wish).

Enjoy the exotic flavours, and let me know how it goes for you, as and when, folks !

I suggest serving with my “Exotic Xmas Veggies & Trimmings” (https://www.mouthwateringvegan.com/2012/12/06/exotic-xmas-veggies-trimmings/), and “Golden Cheddar’d Potatoes” (https://www.mouthwateringvegan.com/2012/11/13/golden-cheddar’d-potatoes/).

INGREDIENTS

4 Tbsp olive oil

6 large mushrooms, chopped into small pieces

1 400g /14 oz (250g /9 oz drained) tin brown lentils, washed and drained

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cups cooked spinach (approx 2 lbs fresh), roughly chopped

6 to 8 sundried tomato halves

1 tsp hot curry powder

¼ tsp coriander seeds

salt to taste (don’t omit)

the zest of a small lemon or lime

2 to 3 Tbsp tomato paste

¼ tsp onion powder

1/8 cup water

EXTRAS

¾ cup freshly roasted whole hazelnuts, 10 halved walnuts, also roasted. All finely chopped (you can process them in a food processor, but don’t make powder of them, they still need to be in small pieces).

1 cup (8 oz) vegan melting cheese – optional (I make my own super melting cheese)

640 g (22½ oz) vegan short crust pastry – I used Jus-Rol, though any other vegan equivalent will do

a few sprigs of fresh rosemary

vegan milk to brush onto pastry

METHOD

Fry the mushrooms and garlic in a large frying pan, mixing all the time. Then, after a few minutes of letting them sweat, add the tomato paste, the curry powder, and the onion powder, and mix. A minute later, add the cooked lentils, and stir.

Add the spinach, and the remaining ingredients, except for the ‘Extras’ – those are for later. Cover, and allow to simmer gently for 20 minutes – the mixture should be thick, rich and very aromatic. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 15 minutes or so.

Next, place your thawed pastry sheets on a clean, floured surface, and roll the pastry sheets together in such a way that you create one sheet approximately 10 by 7 inches.

Now spoon thick spinach and lentil mix onto the pastry sheet – if the mixture’s still too hot, you may have to wait a few more minutes for it to cool down further – it should be no more than lukewarm.

Once your mixture is ready on the pastry, flatten and evenly distribute it using the back of a large spoon (see picture). Then add the grated vegan cheese, and top with the roasted nuts – leave a few nuts for dusting the sides of the roulade at the end.

Now start slowly rolling the mixture away from you, until you reach the end. You might feel you need an extra hand, so if anybody is around at home, do not hesitate to give a shout. No panic, if any bits fall out of the side, just gently finger them back into place.

Wash your hands at this point, dry them thoroughly, and dust the remaining nuts on the open sides of each end. Brush the roulade with vegan milk, then make horizontal ‘surface-cuts’ at half inch intervals on the surface of the dough, but don’t put any weight on it whilst you do this. These will be your markers for each slice once cooked.

Preheat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Then line a suitably sized oven-proof dish with grease proof paper from end to end, and then grease it just the same. Lift the roulade up gently using 2 large metal spatulas (again some help might be useful at this latter stage), although this can still be done single-handed with patience and care – however, ensure your dish is close by.

Then place in the hot oven until it turns golden – around 20 minutes. When it’s turned golden, it’s ready. Take out, and assemble any accompanying veggies in another serving dish – but I advise that if you’re having roast potatoes, they should be nice and crunchy. Or you may prefer plain new potatoes – whatever takes your fancy. See my blog for further ideas. Bon Appétit !

All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010

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suitable for vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike