Nut Roast with Maple Cranberry Sauce

Try this hearty, delicious and festive chestnut roast with naturally sweetened cranberry sauce-packed with comforting parsley root and chestnut mushrooms, with sweetness from port-soaked cranberries and buttery, earthy chestnuts. The naturally sweetened cranberry sauce recipe is made with fresh (or frozen) cranberries, maple syrup and orange zest. It’s easy to make and tastes amazing. The chestnut roast is packed with flavour even the carnivores would enjoy it. It is perfect for Christmas and special occasions.

Nut Roast with Maple Cranberry Sauce

adapted from BBC

Nut Roast	Maple Cranberry Sauce
300 g Sugar beet leaves (spinach or chard) 50 g Dried cranberries 50 ml Port 30 g Ghee 1 Onion, finely chopped 200 g Chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped 250 g Parsley root, coarsely grated 2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tsp Dried sage 2 Thyme sprig, leaves picked 1 Orange, zest only 150 g Cooked spelt grains 200 g Cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped 25 g Fresh breadcrumbs 3 Large eggs 1 tsp Sea salted Freshly milled black pepper 25 g Butter	200 g Cranberries 100 Maple syrup 40 ml Water 40 ml Orange juic

Nut Roast

Maple Cranberry Sauce

300 g Sugar beet leaves (spinach or chard)
50 g Dried cranberries
50 ml Port
30 g Ghee
1 Onion, finely chopped
200 g Chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
250 g Parsley root, coarsely grated
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp Dried sage
2 Thyme sprig, leaves picked
1 Orange, zest only
150 g Cooked spelt grains
200 g Cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
25 g Fresh breadcrumbs
3 Large eggs
1 tsp Sea salted
Freshly milled black pepper
25 g Butter

200 g Cranberries
100 Maple syrup
40 ml Water
40 ml Orange juic

To make the cranberry sauce, rinse and drain the cranberries. Place the cranberries into a saucepan with maple syrup, water, orange juice and zest. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have softened and started to burst and the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes – you should have a mixture of whole and broken down cranberries. Allow to cool and store in the fridge until needed.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a standard loaf tin with baking paper.
Wash the sugar beet greens in plenty of water and put into a large saucepan. Heat gently until it has wilted down, stirring a couple of times, then drain over a sieve. Leave to cool, then roughly chop.
Put the dried cranberries into a small saucepan and cover with the Port. Bring to a gentle boil, remove from the heat and set aside until the cranberries have plumped up and absorbed most of the Port.
Heat the ghee in a frying pan. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook over a medium heat until any liquid coming out of the mushrooms has evaporated and the onion has softened.
Add the parsley root and continue to cook until the parsley root has reduced in volume and the onion has started to caramelise. Add the garlic, dried sage, thyme and orange zest, then cook for a couple more minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Put the cooked spelt into a large bowl along with chestnuts, soaked cranberries, breadcrumbs, sugar beet greens, cooked vegetables and the eggs. Season well with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
Spoon into the prepared baking pan and dot over the butter. Smooth down, but do not pack too tightly. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the loaf is hot throughout and lightly browned.
Remove the tin carefully from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a board or platter. Cut into thick slices and serve hot with the prepared cranberry sauce.

9 comments:

Tom 7/12/25 12:33: ...Angie, an unexpected combination that looks great!
DEZMOND 7/12/25 13:26: I have noticed that this year's trend was putting pineapple in the cranberry sauce.
eileeninmd 7/12/25 13:43: Looks yummy and a delicious sauce!
Take care, have a wonderful week!
Anonymous 7/12/25 14:21: Yummy and interesting -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
Lola Martínez 7/12/25 14:38: Pero qué rico pastel salado has hecho, es que me encanta y la salsa de arándanos le va fabulosa. Una delicia en conjunto.
ellie 7/12/25 15:27: So festive!
Caitlin&Megan 7/12/25 15:28: Beautiful! Looks amazing!
Anonymous 7/12/25 15:46: Every year for the holidays, I always make sure I have a wonderful vegetarian option for friends who don’t eat meat or fish. This is a wonderful idea, Angie! ~ David (C & L)
Linda's Relaxing Lair 7/12/25 18:39: This looks colourful and amazing!