Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes for a vegetarian Christmas | Food (2024)

So, this Christmas, I’ve decided to give the “turkey treatment” to my root vegetables, and put them on a pedestal, positioning them at the very centre of the table, all crowded proudly on a huge, shimmering platter. I just know they’ll come out on top, the newly crowned, undisputed rulers of the festive table.

Roast winter vegetable platter with walnut and barberry salsa

The barberries in the salsa provide the sort of bursts of surprise that I love in a festive dish. You can buy these sharp little dried Iranian berries in specialist shops or online; if you can’t find them, the same quantity of currants, soaked in a tablespoon of lemon juice, will do. Baby vegetables look great here, but again, don’t worry if you can get only regular-sized ones: just cut them all into long, 2-3cm-thick wedges instead. If you do have the baby vegetables, trim them so about 4cm of their stalks are left, for a rustic yet pretty look. Serves eight.

15 thyme sprigs
6 rosemary sprigs
4 sage sprigs
5 cinnamon sticks
8 star anise
For the salsa
60ml olive oil
1½ tbsp sherry vinegar
20g barberries (or currants soaked in lemon juice)
50g walnuts, roughly chopped
⅓ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp finely grated orange zest, plus 1 tbsp juice
1½ tsp maple syrup
10g parsley leaves, finely chopped
10g mint leaves, finely shredded

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Put all the ingredients for the vegetables apart from the herbs and spices in a large bowl with one and three-quarter teaspoons of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well, then transfer to two large oven trays lined with baking paper.

While the veg is roasting, make the salsa: just put everything in a medium bowl with a quarter-teaspoon of salt, mix to combine, then transfer to a deep serving bowl.

To serve, use metal tongs to pick out the hot vegetables from the tray and group them together on a large serving platter, leaving space for the salsa bowl in the centre or on one side. Tuck the herbs between the vegetables and scatter the spices on top (these are not to be eaten, but they look lovely), place the salsa bowl on the platter and serve.

Aubergine, courgette and yoghurt upside-down cake

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Line a 21cm cake tin with baking paper and brush with oil.

Mix the grated courgette with half a teaspoon of salt and put in a colander over a bowl or in the sink for 20 minutes. Transfer the salted courgette to the centre of a clean tea towel or J-cloth, draw up the sides, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Put the courgette (you should have about 200g-worth) in a bowl and set aside.

Turn down the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a medium frying pan on a medium-high heat, then fry the onion for seven minutes, until soft and starting to turn golden-brown. Add the garlic and herbs, fry for a minute, until the herbs are aromatic and the garlic is starting to brown, then add to the courgette bowl. Add the pine nuts, yoghurt, lemon zest, parmesan, egg yolks, breadcrumbs, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, then mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gently fold them into the courgette mix until just combined, then spoon on top of the aubergine in the cake tin. Bake for 45 minutes, until the cake is golden-brown, then set aside to cool down a bit.

Release the cake from its tin and invert on to a plate, so the aubergines are now sitting on top. Remove the baking paper, cut into individual portions and serve warm or at room temperature.

Black miso sticky rice with peanuts and brussels sprouts

Put the rice in a large saucepan with 1.8 litres water, the miso, two-thirds of the vinegar and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer gently for an hour, until very little liquid is left. Shake the pan every once in a while to stop the rice from sticking to the base. Take the pan off the heat, cover and set aside for 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked but still retains a bit of a bite; by this time, any remaining liquid should have reduced to the consistency of thick jam.

Return the pan to a high heat, add the sprouts and half a teaspoon of salt, and fry for six to eight minutes, stirring often, until the sprouts are dark golden-brown and starting to go crisp. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil, mirin and remaining rice vinegar.

To serve, spoon the rice into a large, shallow serving bowl and top with the sprouts. Sprinkle over the coriander and squeeze over the lime juice, top with the crisp chilli and peanuts, and take to the table.

Roast parsnips and jerusalem artichokes with cavolo nero and stilton

For the dressing
115g pickled walnuts, roughly chopped, plus 3 tbsp pickling liquor
60g walnuts, roughly chopped
15g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Put the parsnips and onions in a medium bowl with two tablespoons of oil, two garlic cloves, the thyme, half a teaspoon of salt and lots of pepper. Spread out on a large oven tray lined with greaseproof paper. Put the artichokes on a separate lined tray, mixed with a tablespoon of oil, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Roast both trays for 20 minutes, until the parsnips and onions are cooked and caramelised, and the artichokes are just cooked through, then tip both into a large bowl and keep warm.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the cavolo nero and blanch for two minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water and pat dry.

Put the final tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan on a high heat, then fry the remaining garlic clove until just starting to brown; about 30 seconds. Add the cavolo nero and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, and fry for four to five minutes, stirring often, until it starts to brown. Add to the veg bowl and, just before serving, gently mix in the dressing. Spread out on a large platter, sprinkle over the stilton and take to the table.

What to drink, by Fiona Beckett

Roast root veg I’d go off-piste with this and serve the rare, exotic Mavrotragano 2011 (£24 The Wine Society; 14% abv), from Hatzidakis in Santorini, with its wild berry flavours. Or a good cru Beaujolais.

Aubergine and courgette upside-down cake A smooth white such as a soave would work really well here: try the very well-priced Fattori Soave 2014 (12.5% abv), which is on offer at £7.19 at Majestic when you buy any six bottles.

Black miso sticky rice Australian Clare Valley riesling works brilliantly with Asian flavours, and Aldi has a particularly good-value example in its Exquisite Collection series (2014 vintage, £6.99; 12% abv).

Roast parsnips and jerusalem artichokes This is a toss-up between a full-flavoured white such as the lush Tons Duorum Douro 2014 (£8.50 Tanners; 12.5% abv) or a brambly, southern Italian red such as A Mano Primitivo 2013 (£7.95 Hawkshead Wines and slurp.co.uk, £8.99 Booths; 13.5% abv), from Puglia.