Pistachio Cranberry Nut Roast

Ingredients: 

• 250g fresh or frozen cranberries 
• 3 tablespoons light brown soft sugar 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 large onion, finely chopped 
• 2 sticks celery, sliced 
• 1 medium carrot, diced 
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree 
• 150g mixed nuts 
• 150g shelled pistachios 
• 125g porridge oats 
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed 
• 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast 
• 1 tablespoon mixed dried herbs 
• 250g cooked puy or brown lentils 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160℃ fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper. 
2. Place the cranberries and sugar in a pan, heat until the cranberries are starting to break down then remove from the heat, taste and add another Tablespoon of sugar if needed then set aside. 
3. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the onion, celery, carrot and a pinch of salt and cook gently, stirring often, for about 10 minutes until softened. 
4. Add the mushrooms to the pan, turn up the heat and cook for 5-10 minutes until they have released all of their juices and are starting to brown. Add the garlic and tomato puree and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat. 
5. Place the mixed nuts in a food processor and blend until finely chopped, tip into a large bowl. 
6. Blend the pistachios in the food processor until roughly chopped, you want a few larger pieces and some smaller ones. Add to the nuts in the bowl. 
7. Place the oats in the food processor and blend until you have a coarse flour. Tip into the bowl with the nuts. Add the ground flaxseed, nutritional yeast and mixed dried herbs to the bowl and stir everything together. 
8. Transfer the cooked mushroom mixture to the food processor along with the lentils. Blend, scraping down the sides as needed, until you have a slightly chunky paste. Add to the bowl with the dry ingredients along with the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and plenty of black pepper. 
9. Stir everything together until well combined, you may find it easier to use your hands. Taste and add salt as needed. 
10. Transfer the cranberry mixture to the lined loaf tin and spread it level. Spoon the nut mixture on top, pack it down firmly and spread it level. Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the tin foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before flipping it out onto a serving plate and peeling off the baking paper. 

Recipe and image by Hannah Hossack-Lodge (Domestic Gothess)