Recipe: Seaweed Pickled Vegetables

I like to always have a pot or two of pickled veg on the go - such a tangy, tasty way to liven up most meals, and it’s such a handy option for using up leftover produce from our veg box or during peak growing season.

Recipes such as this are all about adaptation and using up what you have - in terms of the vegetables you include as well as the fresh and dried herbs and spices. So if you don’t have any of the herbs or spices on the list below don’t be put off, just use a swap-in. I always make a note of adaptations I make to recipes so I can figure out what worked well and not so well next time!

I added dried seaweed flakes from The Cornish Seaweed Company to this pot of pickled veg; I wanted to add a flavour of the coastline when I used the veg to accompany Wild Mushroom & Rock Samphire Omelettes during my beach-side breakfast conversation with seaweed artist Julia Bird.

You can listen to my conversation with Julia in Episode 17 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond. Enjoy!

Thank you to John Hersey for the photo below :)

Recipe: Seaweed Pickled Vegetables

Makes 1 x 1litre kilner jar

Ingredients:

• 400g seasonal veg - I used courgettes, carrots and beetroot

• Handful of fresh, seasonal herbs - I used marjoram

• 250ml cider vinegar

• 200ml water

• 30g sea salt

• 1 tsp peppercorns

• 1 desert spoon dried seaweed flakes

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

Method:

1. Prepare a 1 litre glass jar for storing the pickled veg by washing thoroughly then drying.

2. Chop the veg into small pieces using all edible parts including stalks and leaves, then place in a large bowl. Chop the fresh herbs and mix with the veg.

3. Pack the vegetables and fresh herbs into the glass jar, pressing down so there is a gap at the top of the jar.

4. Make the brine - place the water, cider vinegar and salt in a pan and warm until salt is dissolved. Remove from heat then add the peppercorns, seaweed flakes, mustard, fennel and fenugreek seeds along with the ground ginger and turmeric. Stir well and leave to cool.

5. When cool, pour liquid over the vegetables, making sure there are no air gaps. Place the lid tightly on the jar.

6. Leave for at least 48 hours before using to let the flavours develop. Will keep for a couple of months in the fridge.

Recipe: Pumpkin Porridge

This recipe is, for me, like autumn in a bowl. It’s warming, comforting, uses seasonal ingredients and is both lightly spiced and sweetened (using local honey). The addition of chia seeds and ground flaxseed contribute to its nutritional value, and it can easily be made vegan by using plant-based milk along with maple syrup in place of honey.

I’m always keen to incorporate ‘zero waste’ principles into my cooking, so the addition of the pumpkin seeds on top for an extra bit of crunch also enables the using-up of elements that might otherwise be discarded; and I find it great to have a few more recipes up my sleeve to utilise the flesh of carved pumpkins in late October!

You can also sneak vegetables into breakfast-time and turmeric is well known for its healing properties such as being anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and rich in anti-oxidants.

As ever, I recommend playing around with the recipe with swap-ins to help you use-up what’s in your store cupboard and fridge.

I cooked this recipe for breakfast with Alice Collyer of Alice in Scandiland as we discuss sustainable homewares and interior design in Episode 8 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond.

Do take a listen - and I hope you enjoy your pumpkin porridge!

Recipe: Pumpkin Porridge

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 80g oats

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp turmeric

• Few shavings fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)

• 180g pumpkin puree (see below for how to make this)

• 50g local honey (use maple syrup for vegan version)

• 400ml milk (dairy, or use plant-based alternative)

• 100ml water

• Optional toppings: I used toasted pumpkin seeds (the ones I had removed from the pumpkin - see notes here on how to prepare them), hazelnuts and an edible nastirtium flower. You could add fresh fruits, yoghurt, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Method:

To make the pumpkin purée
The purée can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for approx 3 days. For this recipe (serves 2) I used 180g of purée, however I made the puree using the flesh of a whole pumpkin, then used it up over a few days in porridges, breads and other cooking. If you are making this recipe for 2 people, just make sure you have at least 200g raw pumpkin flesh ready to cook.

• Peel pumpkin and remove seeds from inside (these can still be eaten - see notes on pumpkin seeds)

• Cut flesh into bite-size pieces

• Place in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for approx 15 mins, until pumpkin flesh is soft

• Drain pumpkin pieces, leave to cool slightly then place in food processor and blitz until smooth. Scrape purée into airtight container, leave to cool fully and then place in the fridge until ready to use.

To make the rest of the porridge

1. Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and stir well over a low heat.

2. Cook for approx 6 minutes until ingredients are combined, oats are softened and the porridge is gently bubbling, stirring regularly so doesn’t stick to bottom of the pan.

3. While porridge is cooking, prepare any toppings such as toasted nuts or seeds.

4. Pour into bowls to serve, add toppings and enjoy!

Recipe: Zero Waste Courgette Pancakes

This breakfast recipe was cooked in tandem with eco-chef James Strawbridge during our conversation on sustainable living over breakfast for Episode 7 of my podcast, Breakfast & Beyond. James’s latest book, The Complete Vegetable Cookbook is a celebration of the vegetables he uses and loves the most, packed with information and recipes with an emphasis on zero waste cooking - learning about and celebrating the less-used parts of the vegetables that we can enjoy as part of our meals and in so doing, create less food waste.

When planning our late-summer breakfast menu I was keen to make courgette pancakes as we had a good supply of courgettes growing in the garden here at Botelet; however I was keen to explore with James whether there was more of the courgette plant that could be included than I would normally use - the main part of the vegetable, and possibly the flower. Turns out there’s lots more! We incorporated both rather gnarly ends of the courgette along with some of the leaf stem, grating them into the pancake batter. We also finely chopped young leaves and added these to the maple drizzle along with the flower.

The pancakes turned out to be delicious - fresh, zingy, sweet and sour all wrapped up in one - and I love that it represents zero-waste principles in action through this one simple recipe.

I hope you enjoy cooking this - as ever, feel free to amend, adapt and change according to preferences and food that you have available and needs using up - and I’d love to know any recipes you use that celebrate the lesser-known parts of our humble veg!

Recipe: Zero Waste Courgette Pancakes

Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the pancakes

• 1 courgette (use all, including hard ends), approx 120g

• Young part of 1 courgette leaf stalk

• 50g Self-raising flour (I used gluten free)

• 1 tsp baking powder (I used gluten free)

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 2 tsp rose harissa

• 1 egg

• 50g ricotta

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Salt & pepper

For the pancake topping

• 2 courgette flowers

• 1 medium sized courgette leaf (size is flexible)

• Small sprig fresh mint (optional)

• 1 cardamom pod

• 200ml maple syrup

• 1 chilli

• Olive oil

Method:

1. Place two plates in the oven to warm.

2. Begin by grating the courgette, including both hard ends. Place the grated courgette in a sieve. Sprinkle salt over grated courgette, mix in with a spoon and leave to sit over a bowl while preparing the rest of the pancake batter.

3. In a medium sized bowl place the flour, baking powder, ground coriander and 1/2 tsp salt, mix well.

4. Beat the egg in a small bowl, mix in the ricotta and harissa, then combine with the dry ingredients.

5. Chop the courgette leaf stalk and add to the mixture.

6. Press the grated courgette firmly into the sieve to squeeze out excess moisture, then add courgette to the bowl and mix together well.

7. Season with salt & pepper.

8. Prepare the pancake topping: finely chop the courgette leaf and mint. Place in a bowl, pour boiled water on top to blanch then drain through a sieve and run cold water over them to stop them cooking. Set aside.

9. Remove the cardamom seed from the pod and grind in a pestle and mortar.

10. Measure out the maple syrup into a jug, add the ground cardamom and stir.

11. Chop the chilli and set aside.

12. To make the pancakes: in a non-stick frying pan drizzle olive oil and warm over a medium heat. Once warm, use approx 1 tbsp of pancake batter for each pancake, place into hot oil and shape, should make 4 pancakes. Cook for 2-3 mins until golden brown, then flip over and repeat on the other side. Remove from heat when ready.

13. While pancakes are cooking: warm a splash of olive oil in a second, small frying pan over a low heat. When warm, add the courgette flowers. Cook over a gentle heat for a couple of mins until flowers just start to wilt then add maple syrup with ground cardamom. Once the maple syrup is sizzling, add the blanched courgette and mint leaves, simmer for 30 seconds then remove from heat.

14. Remove plates from oven, arrange pancakes on each plate then place one courgette flower on top of pancakes on each plate, drizzle half the maple syrup over pancakes on each plate, and divide chopped chilli and scatter on top. Serve and enjoy!

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Botelet Breakfast Club: A Seasonal Space?

Seasonal eating - a buzz word of our time. A fabulous intention - to eat that which is produced locally to us in harmony with the seasons, reconnecting with how our bodies were no doubt designed to eat before food was a global commodity and we became accustomed to eating fresh fruits and vegetables at any time of year, simply because our tastebuds fancied it or a recipe required it.

I am always drawn to restaurants offering a seasonal menu, it speaks to an intuitive sense of what is ‘right’. But then again, are there many eateries these days that aren’t using the term ‘seasonal’ to describe their offering? It feels as though we have collectively acknowledged the importance of seasonal eating - for freshness, for quality, for nutritional content, to support local producers and reduce food miles - but when a dish or menu is promoted as ‘seasonal’ it may be simply because one or two components are, with plenty of others shipped in, seriously degrading the sustainability of the meal. I know, as I’ve done this too! I have prepared and offered food as ‘seasonal’, referencing elements that are grown locally - for example an overnight oats topped with a compote that’s made with primarily with garden produce, but with oranges, grapefruits and pomegranates featuring within the recipe. They may be considered ‘winter’ fruits, but clearly not from the UK!

Seasonality has been playing on my mind. Perhaps living in the countryside where I’m so directly immersed in nature’s shifts; perhaps through my role of planning and delivering food for our monthly pop-up breakfast café Botelet Breakfast Club - but certainly through a recent weekend away as part of a creative collective, hosted by chef James Strawbridge at his family’s home, the beautiful Chateau de la Motte Husson. James set the themes for this immersive weekend retreat around seasonality, sustainability and collaboration. I am eternally grateful for the chance to have been part of such an extraordinary experience, working alongside chefs, musicians, artists, artisans, designers and more in a multi-disciplinary space to make, eat and create.

During the weekend I was lucky enough to meet (and eat the insanely delicious food of) Jamie Park, Head Chef at The Frog Restaurant in Hoxton. Jamie has taken seasonal eating to a new level, creating a significant challenge for himself and his team by committing to sourcing the majority of fresh produce from within the British Isles - and making careful decisions within these parameters about the sustainability of produce that he includes in the menu. Committing to be truly seasonal when working on a restaurant-scale, and with the expectations of an ever-changing menu, I was hugely inspired by Jamie’s approach. Not only in terms of what is happening at his particular restaurant, but the broader message it conveys which can extend through to influence our food choices and eating habits outside of restaurant experiences, too. Jamie talked about reactions to having repetitions of certain food groups through the menu - especially in winter when plant-based produce that’s grown in the UK is more limited. Yet you can cook - say, a cauliflower - many different ways, catering to different tastes and preferences. I love this boldness: this produce is in season locally, so it’s what is on the menu. Here are different ways in which you may like to eat and enjoy. If we extend this approach into home cooking, how often do we feel pressure to create a menu for the week (even one that’s spontaneous rather than overly planned) that’s based on variety of ingredients, rather than celebrating and getting creative with the repetition of seasonal items, and feeling comfortable with continuing to eat the same foods until they are finished rather than throwing away and starting again the next day - especially when we are cooking for others and are mindful of their expectations?

Returning from the weekend retreat in France my mind has kept returning to the question: if Jamie’s dedication to sustainable eating enables him to offer a seasonal menu in a fast-paced London restaurant, what more can I be doing (even in the smallest of ways) at home in rural Cornwall, where I’m surrounded by local organic growers and home-grown as well as foraged food options - with our Botelet Breakfast Club offering, and by extension with our family’s food? I have pitched our ‘Breakfast Club’ as being seasonal, but is it - really?

The first task I set myself in examining the true seasonality of our current offering was to do an audit of the fresh produce I used at our last Breakfast Club, and track back where it was sourced from. It’s worth noting that I reference plant-based and dairy produce as our Breakfast Club offering is vegetarian. This is what I found:

Produced in the UK: cauliflower, leeks, sea buckthorn, apples, yogurt, milk, butter, primroses

Imported from outside the UK: lemons, oranges, grapefruit, pomegranate, fresh coriander

Seasonal? Definitely embracing some fantastic locally grown (and garden) produce but, I believe, could be better. Do I really need to use the fruits that are shipped over from Europe and beyond?

My answer to this question, having returned from France, is: no. So I’m going to be bold, inspired by Jamie’s approach, and use the (albeit tiny) space in which we offer food through our Breakfast Club to explore true seasonality in vegetarian cooking. Going forward, the fresh produce that is part of the menu will be sourced from Cornwall.

We are lucky enough to have a small vegetable patch here at Botelet with scope to grow plenty, but I’m not an especially green-fingered soul, so whilst I am looking forward to challenging myself to increase the time I spend in the garden I also want this journey to be a chance to learn about more about foraged foods, and to become more connected to the fantastic local producers surrounding us. So, no more avocados, bananas or pomegranate appearing on the Breakfast Club menu.

I have chosen to set the locally-sourced parameters just to fresh produce - plants and dairy. Clearly there are issues around importing store cupboard items as well; however fresh produce seems the first and most obvious to source locally thereby maintaining freshness and nutritional value, and without the same need to rush goods into the UK from overseas before they spoil, with a potentially heavier environmental footprint where food travels by air.

I am also aware that there is a balance to be struck between purchasing seasonal and therefore local whilst also supporting global producers, acknowledging the significant economic contribution that UK food exports make especially to farmers in developing countries. It strikes me that we need to celebrate the local, but not at the risk of cutting out global producers who rely on selling their products to us. The global food market has some starkly differing standards of sustainability within it both environmentally and socially, and our role as conscious consumers must surely be to make the best choices we can that take account of these. So it seems that fresh produce is the obvious one to aim for as local, and for all other items - that originate from within our country and beyond - to be “sourced from the best possible places” (to quote Jamie Park), taking account of organic and fair-trade options, as well as looking at issues around packaging when considering an item’s environmental footprint.

And so as I start planning for our next Botelet Breakfast Club, I am excited to become more attuned to the rhythms of the seasons as they unfold, celebrating what they have to offer. My starting point has been to explore the fruits and vegetables that may be available each season (see chart below) and consider not only what can be used fresh, but how I might utilise pickling, preserving and freezing to extend the availability of the produce - all areas that I’ve never thoroughly explored.

I hope to use this space not only to cook seasonally, but to open up conversations around the breakfast table and beyond regarding how we cook and eat. We all make choices in relation to where we source our food from, and as consumers these choices ultimately impact upon how sustainably food is produced. I am excited - and daunted - by the challenge of presenting a truly seasonal offering through our Breakfast Club, and look forward to the ripple effect it may have on our family’s eating habits too.

What strikes me as I consider the topic of seasonal eating is that, once again, a more sustainable approach seems to be all about keeping things simple. Stripping back: the menu, the variety, the expectations of what will be offered. Yet in doing so, embracing the challenge to be more creative with what we have; the beauty of simplicity.

I do hope you can join us for an upcoming Botelet Breakfast Club - and as I embark on this journey, I would love to know your thoughts on seasonal eating, and any tips for locally-grown produce, especially here in Cornwall!

Tia x

With special thanks to James Strawbridge for his endless inspiration, Jamie Park for his thoughts, time and lessons in all things foodie, and to each and every one of the Chateau Crew who created a space for ideas to evolve and thoughts to thrive.

Foodie chats with James

Botelet pomme

Jamie Park

Seasonal?

The humble carrot

Breakfast Clubbing

Images by Holes in the World, Richard Tamblyn and me

Sourced from: www.eatseasonably.co.uk/what-to-eat-now/calendar/

Recipe: Festive Vegetable Stack (perfect for leftovers)

How do you want your festive food to make you feel? I’m excited to get stuck into those seasonal flavours and textures that speak of Christmas - the sweetness of maple roasted parsnips, the nutty base notes of stuffing (mine’s a veggie version please), the delicate bite of a perfectly cooked sprout, and who can resist a roast potato or three? Not me.

But what I don’t want to feel is overly full, so stuffed that my body takes the next three hours processing what I’ve eaten, and the thought of heaving myself off the sofa to play games with the kids is like punishment. That, and I definitely want to have space for plenty of snacking later into the evening. So this little recipe is designed with that in mind - bringing together some of the best flavours of Christmas - but in a fun and potentially not-too-filling way.

The recipe is all about adaptation: choose flavours that you and your family love the most, and use these between layers of root vegetables; build your stack around the leftovers you have; and make it a heartier meal by presenting your stack as the centrepiece of individual plated portions then offer as many trimmings as you’d like in sharing bowls on the table.

As someone who turned vegetarian aged eight I haven’t eaten many meaty Christmas dinners, and I’ve never been a fan of a nut roast (may be something to do with turning veggie in the 80’s when the average nut roast offering was pretty bland and dry). But I still love Christmastime food - for the flavours, textures and colours of all the plant-based seasonal offerings that are brought to the table. So this recipe is a celebration of our winter vegetables - for me, the true heroes of the season.

The recipe detailed below was served as the cooked dish at our Festive Botelet Breakfast Club - but there are so many ways to vary it, see adaptation notes below and improvise as works for you. I am the queen of simple cooking and at first glance could be put off by the list of ingredients - but these are just suggestions and you can simplify it hugely by using up what you already have on the go.

I’d love to know how you find the recipe, and do share any delicious changes you make in the comments box below. Happy Christmas cooking!

Tia x

Festive Vegetable Stack with Lemon Braised Chickpeas and Spicy Tahini Sauce

This recipe is based on a root vegetable stack (I’ve used beetroot and sweet potato) with layers of festive fillings going between each layer of root vegetable as you build the stack. For this recipe I have used as the fillings chestnut and mushroom paste, halloumi, maple parsnip mash and cranberry sauce. I’ve topped the vegetable stack with a lightly spiced tahini sauce to drizzle on top, then lemon braised chickpeas and capers along with pomegranate seeds to scatter over the plate. You will find there are leftovers from the fillings - pop these on the table in bowls for people to dip into, or into the fridge for your next meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 x large beetroot, peeled and thinly sliced into circles (approx 1/2cm), cutting at least 10 decent-sized circles in total. Where the circles become very small, the ends can be diced and roasted to use another time..

• 2 x large sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced as above with beetroot.

• 3 x medium parsnips, washed and cut into bite-size pieces

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• Splash of almond milk

• 1 x packet halloumi (I used goathalloumi from Polmarkyn Farm that’s local to us)

• Large handful pomegranate seeds

• 4 x rosemary sprigs (for decoration) plus extra rosemary for cooking the beetroot and sweet potato with

• Olive oil

• Salt & pepper

For the chestnut & mushroom paste

• 125g chestnuts, removed from shell (can use frozen chestnuts)

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 250g mushrooms, washed & chopped

• 2 tbsp thyme

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 tbsp tamari sauce

• 4 tbsp coconut milk

• 4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

• Salt & pepper

For the cranberry sauce

• 250g fresh cranberries

• 100ml orange juice - freshly squeezed or from a carton

• 100g coconut sugar

• 1 bay leaf

For the lemon braised chickpeas & capers

• 1 x tin chickpeas

• 1 x shallot

• 1 x tbsp capers

• Rind and juice of 1/2 a lemon

For the tahini sauce (adapted from a Deliciously Ella recipe)

• 100g tahini

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/4 tsp chilli powder

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 4 tbsp almond milk (adjust amount so that your sauce is of a consistency that will drizzle over the stack)

Method:

• The chestnut and mushroom paste, tahini and cranberry sauces can be made ahead and refrigerated. You could also prepare the vegetables - sweet potato, beetroot and parsnips - so they are washed, cut up and ready to be cooked.

• Heat the oven to 180 C.

• Take a couple of baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil then lay the circles of sweet potato and beetroot flat onto the baking trays. Add another drizzle of olive oil, lay some rosemary sprigs on top, season with salt and pepper and place in the oven. After approx 20 minutes turn them over and repeat on the other side. You want them to be cooked but not over-cooked. Remove from oven when ready.

• To make the maple parsnip mash: place diced parsnip in a pan, cover with boiling water and simmer for approx 20 minutes, until softened. Remove from heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp maple syrup along with salt and pepper and a splash of almond milk, and mash. I like to do this quite roughly, so the mash maintains some texture. If you are making the parsnips ahead, on the day of cooking put the mash in a pan with another splash of almond milk and a spoon of coconut oil and heat through before serving.

• To make the chestnut and mushroom paste: roast the chestnuts for approx 25 minutes until they are tender. Allow to cool a little then roughly chop them. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and sauté onion until just starting to brown. Add garlic, mushrooms, thyme and the chestnuts, cook on a low heat for approx 15 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, tamari and sun-dried tomatoes for the last few minutes of cooking. Place all in a blender along with coconut milk and blend until a coarse paste forms. If making ahead, warm through in a pan before serving.

• To make the cranberry sauce: place the orange juice and coconut sugar in a pan and simmer until sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries and bay leaf and simmer for approx 10 mins, there should still be a little liquid left around the cranberries. Take off the heat and remove the bay leaf.

• To make the tahini sauce: combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add enough almond milk so that the sauce will drizzle over your vegetable stack.

• To make the braised lemon chickpeas and capers: fry the shallot until starting to brown, approx 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and lemon rind, cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the capers and lemon juice, stir and cook for a further minute before removing from the heat.

• For the halloumi: cut into slices approx 1cm thick. Place in frying pan and cook until lightly browned each side. Remove from heat. If you are preparing the halloumi before you’re ready to serve, place the lightly browned halloumi slices in a baking tray, add a drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice, place foil on top and pop in a warming oven at a low heat.

• If you have made any of the fillings in advance, remove them from the refrigerator in good time so that they are at room temperature before serving, or quickly heat through before adding to the stack.

• To assemble: place one beetroot/sweet potato circle on each plate. Add a slice of halloumi, then another beetroot/sweet potato circle on top (I like to alternate between the root veg). Add approx 1 tbsp chestnut and mushroom paste, then top with another beetroot/sweet potato circle. Add approx 1 tbsp parsnip mash, then another beetroot/sweet potato circle. Add approx 1 tbsp cranberry sauce, then complete the stack with a final beetroot/sweet potato circle. Drizzle tahini sauce on top, use approx 1 tbsp per person of the braised chickpeas and capers to scatter over the stack and the plate, and do the same with some pomegranate seeds to add a burst of colour. Place a rosemary sprig at the top of each stack, gently pushing it in to hold it in place.

Adaptation notes:

• I have chosen to use sweet potato and beetroot, but other root vegetables such as celeriac would work well. I was cautious not to over-do the flavours on the plate, so stuck with two root vegetables, alternating the layers of each type as I built up the stack.

• With the root vegetable layers, you want to use circles of a decent size to hold enough filling between the layers. However, I cut up the whole of each vegetable (the larger middle parts of the vegetables into circles, and the smaller outer ends diced) and roast all parts together, then either serve the roasted ‘ends’ of the vegetables in a serving bowl to accompany the meal, or keep them in the fridge to use the next day.

• If you or someone you are cooking for doesn’t like any chilli in food, simply leave it out of the tahini sauce.

• For a vegan version, swap halloumi for tofu, or simply change it up for a different layer of vegetables (red cabbage? lightly mashed sprouts?) . I also love this recipe with finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes making up one of the fillings.

• This is a great leftovers recipe - without having to plan and prepare any of the fillings, simply roast some root vegetable layers to make the stack, and create the filling layers out of any leftovers that you have - vegetables, stuffing etc. For the sauce, you could use a vegetarian gravy, bread sauce - do improvise! I’ve suggested an order for the fillings based on putting the most robust ones nearer the bottom of the stack, but again this just a suggestion. I’m a big believer that one element of reducing our collective food waste is being a bit more inventive in how we approach recipes - what adaptations can we make to use up rather than always buy in more?

• The sweet potato and beetroot peelings can be drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted for approx 20 minutes to make some vegetable crisps - a lovely festive snack. Wash the vegetables first before peeling.

• Ideas for using up the left over fillings: the chestnut and mushroom paste is great on toast; the tahini sauce taste wonderfully aromatic mixed into stir-fried vegetables at the last moment; the lemon chickpeas and capers make a lovely topping for a leafy salad along with any left over roasted vegetable ends; and the cranberry sauce (warmed or cold) makes for a delicious accompaniment to most vegetarian meals!

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