Parsnip, cranberry & chestnut loaf

Parsnip, cranberry & chestnut loaf

A modern take on the nut loaf, this makes a great vegetarian centrepiece for Christmas Day or a special dinner

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4 - 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 30 mins

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Method

  1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large non-stick pan, add the onions and gently cook for 10-15 mins until very soft. Stir in the sage for 1 min, then tip into a large mixing bowl. Pulse the chestnuts in a food processor until chopped into small bits, then tip these into the bowl with the onions and repeat with the walnuts. Now add the breadcrumbs, mace, beaten egg, 1 tsp salt and some pepper and mix everything together well.
  2. Tip the cranberries and sugar into a pan and simmer for about 8-10 mins over a high heat. The sugar will melt and cranberries will pop and become saucy - keep bubbling until sticky. Set aside to cool. Grease a 900g loaf tin, line with a long strip of baking parchment that covers the bottom and two ends, then grease this as well.
  3. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Throw in the parsnips and boil for 3½ mins. Drain well. From the thinner ends, cut off lengths of parsnip that fit widthways across the bottom of your loaf tin. Keep going until you have enough to snugly line the base of the tin. Roughly chop all leftover parsnip and mix into the nut mixture.
  4. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the parsnip lengths with 1 more tbsp butter and the honey to coat, then fit them into the tin. Top with ¹/³ of the nut mixture - pack it down well and smooth the surface. Spread ¹/³ of the cranberry sauce on top, leaving a small gap around the edges. Top with the remaining nut mixture and pack down as before. The loaf can be made up to 24 hrs ahead, then covered and chilled, before continuing. Cover with foil then bake for 1 hr.
  5. To serve, melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a small pan and sizzle the reserved sage leaves for a minute. Splash water into the remaining cooked cranberries until saucy. Loosen around the sides of the loaf with a round-bladed knife if you need, then turn out. Drizzle with the sage butter and leaves. Serve in slices with extra cranberry sauce.
Try

Mace

Don't be tempted to miss out the mace - it adds a real savouriness that is needed to balance the sweet chestnuts and parsnips.

819 kcalories, protein 14g, carbohydrate 117g, fat 36 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 15g, sugar 71g, salt 0.86 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, Vegetarian Christmas 2009.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo GIDDY-GOOSE

    17 December 2009

    GIDDY-GOOSE commented on this recipe

    I did a half portion test which was quite easy to prepare. Made it the day before as suggested in the recipe and baked it next day. It didn't hold its shape well and partly collapsed so didn't look like the recipe picture. Tasted good however so next time - for my siter in law's Christmas Day lunch I will adapt it by adding more egg to the mixture and maybe some mushrooms in the nut mixture to give extra moisture. Apart from that- another vege winner - cheers

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  • Binder photo tracy

    18 December 2009

    tracy commented on this recipe

    Made this dish exactly as recipe stated, as a practice for Christmas Day. It came out exactly as shown and was delicious. Will be making this on Christmas day. Thanks

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  • Binder photo moncheri

    22 December 2009

    moncheri rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Louisa!!

    23 December 2009

    Louisa!! rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Louisa!!

    23 December 2009

    Louisa!! rated this recipe

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  • Binder photo Jane

    25 December 2009

    Jane rated this recipe

    2 stars

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  • Binder photo Elaine

    27 December 2009

    Elaine rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo JoJo

    06 January 2010

    JoJo rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Jane

    13 April 2010

    Jane commented on this recipe

    Disappointed. Made it as veggie option for Christmas (for me and mum-in-law). Texture wasn't good, so it fell apart when served (I added extra egg and some stock as in a very similar recipe I've had success with before). Also the parsnips on top looked pale and unappetising, not browned. Leftovers served cold on boxing day were better - it held together well.

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  • Binder photo Jayne Moore

    27 September 2010

    Jayne Moore commented on this recipe

    I was a relatively new vegetarian this time last year and as christmas rolled around i was wondering if it would be as good without all the traditional dishes I was used to. My family were also out to tempt me from my hippy ways and made sure all my old favorites were on the table. So I retaliated with this loaf... It took ages as i weighed and checked and finely chopped obsessively, but it was so worth it!! I only got one piece, my family devoured it!!! There was a bit left over that didn't fit the loaf pan and I baked this the next day like a stuffing, and it was just as excellent! This will be a new tradition on the table! One up for the veggies! ;)

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  • Binder photo Nay

    23 November 2010

    Nay rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Super tasty and oh so Christmassy! We made a couple of alterations though; we added 2 eggs (thanks, Giddy Goose), 60g of breadcrumbs and some chestnut mushrooms. We also roasted (rather than boiled) the parsnips, with some honey which gave them a lovely colour. We'll use slightly less Cranberries next time though as even 1/3 seemed quite overpowering. We cooked it in foil for an hour and then uncovered for about 10-15 mins and it held its shape perfectly. We're definitely making this for Christmas dinner with the carnivorous in-laws, delicious! ^_____^

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  • Binder photo vegetarian recipes

    08 December 2010

    vegetarian recipes commented on this recipe

    looks like a posssibility for my daughter to cook for her veggie parents on xmas day

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  • Binder photo DelilahRocks

    16 December 2010

    DelilahRocks commented on this recipe

    Can this be frozen effectively, do you think? Or how long would it keep for?

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  • Binder photo wizzinn

    17 December 2010

    wizzinn commented on this recipe

    Can you freeze this ? sounds lovely want make it before I could. Thank you.

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  • Binder photo Master of Nothing

    02 January 2011

    Master of Nothing commented on this recipe

    Excellent! My vegetarian friends really loved this and are asking for the recipe!

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  • Binder photo Master of Nothing

    02 January 2011

    Master of Nothing rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Oops! I forgot to give this recipe 5 Stars!!

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  • Binder photo vegetarian recipes

    05 January 2011

    vegetarian recipes rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    had this for xmas lunch - fabulous. will have this one again anyime. it was even great cold. lasted us three days. very economical for a xmas lunch. served with all the usual trimmings apart from sausages. added cranberry sauce with hazel nut and cranberry stuffing on the side. bliss for any veggie thank you for this recipe.

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  • Binder photo winicat1

    11 January 2011

    winicat1 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I agree with previous posts that this needed a bit more egg to bind. Made mine in a round tin and laid parsnip into cart wheel pattern. This also meant it was thinner which helped it t hold shape. Very effective and delicious!

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  • Binder photo j_hanlon

    24 January 2011

    j_hanlon rated and commented on this recipe

    1 stars

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  • Binder photo Miss G

    14 September 2011

    Miss G rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Love this made it last Christmas and it was perfect. I did add an extra egg, thank you for the tip and it worked so well. I am doing it again for this Christmas and want to do it again for family in January. Can anyone tell me if they have tried freezing it and how it comes out? Would be easier to make both at the same time and freeze one if I can.

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4 - 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 30 mins

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp butter , plus a little extra for greasing
  • 3 onions , chopped
  • 15g pack sage , 6 leaves reserved, rest shredded
  • 200g pack cooked chestnuts
  • 100g walnuts
  • 100g breadcrumbs
  • ½ tsp mace
  • 1 egg , beaten
  • 500g cranberries
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 550g parsnips , choose long, thin ones if you can, peeled then halved lengthways
  • 1 tbsp honey
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819 kcalories, protein 14g, carbohydrate 117g, fat 36 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 15g, sugar 71g, salt 0.86 g

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