Vegan Yorkshire pudding recipe and other alternatives to Christmas staples

Vegans don't have to miss out on Christmas feasting

(Simon Smith)

Christmas Day is almost here, but not everyone will be sitting down to a traditional turkey feast this year.

For vegans and vegetarians, the festive season can pose a few dietary issues, given that the majority of the foods eaten at Christmas are either meat or dairy-based.

Thankfully, there are chefs who specialise in festive plant-based cooking like Gaz Oakley, aka Avant Garde Vegan, who has expertly crafted several recipes for those avoiding meat this Christmas.

Read on for a selection of Oakley's best vegan Christmas recipes, including stuffing, streaky bacon, brussels sprouts and Yorkshire pudding.

Stuffed "No Turkey" Wrapped in Gaz's Streaky Bacon

(Simon Smith (Simon Smith)

"This is technical to make but so rewarding when you slice into it. I believe this recipe is powerful enough to help reduce the amount of people having meat on their dinner tables at Christmas – the flavours are incredible!"

Serves 8

Cooks In 120 minutes

Difficulty 7/10

Ingredients for the broth

• 960ml (4 cups) vegetable stock
• 480ml (2 cups) white wine
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 onion, quartered
• Handful of dried mushrooms
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• pinch of sea salt and pepper

For the rub

• 4 tbsp mixed dried herbs
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion salt

For the stuffing

1 quantity sweet potato and chestnut stuffing (scroll down)

For the bacon wrapping

• 3 tbsp cranberry and orange sauce (scroll down)
• 8 slices of streaky “bacon” (scroll down)
• 3 tbsp maple syrup

For the "turkey"

• 240ml (1 cup) soy or oat milk
• 10g (1/2 cup) dried mushrooms
• Olive oil, for frying
• 1 onion, finely chopped, sautéed until soft
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, sautéed until soft
• 120ml (1/2 cup) white wine
• 50g (1/4 cup) tinned chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed
• 110g (4oz) firm tofu, patted dry
• 3 tbsp white miso paste
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp dried tarragon
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp cracked black pepper
• 300g (23/4 cups) vital wheat gluten
• 50g (1/2 cup) chickpea (gram) flour
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Method

• First up, you will need to make the seitan “turkey”: combine all the wet ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
• Mix the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour and nutritional yeast together in a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer (with the dough hook attached), then add the wet ingredients and mix until it forms a dough.
• Tip the dough onto a clean work surface and knead for at least 10 minutes by hand or do this in your mixer on medium speed. This is the most important part of the recipe – if you don’t knead it properly
• you will be left with horrible spongy seitan. Be very firm!
• Once kneaded, the dough should be quite firm and elastic. Use a rolling pin to bash and roll the dough into a rough rectangle around 1.25cm (1/2in) thick. Set the dough aside to rest for 10 minutes.
• Add the broth ingredients to a large roasting tray, around 40 x 28 x 8cm (16 x 11 x 3in). Cut a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) slightly larger than the seitan dough rectangle.
• Mix the rub ingredients together in a small bowl, then sprinkle it over the dough. Cover the seitan well in the spice mix as this stops it sticking.
• Place the dough spice-side down onto the muslin.
• Spoon the stuffing across the middle of the dough and roll it up around the stuffing, moulding the edges together. Wrap the dough in the muslin as tightly as possible. Twist the ends, then tie them tightly with cook’s string. Make sure your dough is a nice cylindrical shape.
• Place the “No-Turkey” wrap into the roasting tray with the broth ingredients then cover the tray with foil. Place the tray into the oven for 2 hours.
• Turn the seitan over halfway through cooking and add additional stock if needed. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to lift the “turkey” out of the broth and, when cool enough to handle, carefully remove the muslin.
• The “turkey” can now be wrapped in clingfilm and placed into the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. Reserve the broth liquid as it makes a great gravy.
• An hour before you want to serve, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). I like to wrap the “turkey” in my “bacon” but you can bake it without if you prefer. Place the “turkey” into a baking tray, spoon over a couple of tablespoons of cranberry sauce to help the “bacon“ stick, then neatly lay over the rashers. Secure it with string, if necessary.
• Brush with the maple syrup to glaze. Bake for 25 minutes, then slice and serve with all the trimmings!

Gaz Oakley's Vegan Christmas book is the only fully plant-based Christmas recipe book in the UK and contains more than 70 recipes (Simon Smith)

The 'Bacon'

"The most incredible vegan 'bacon' you will taste. It’s definitely worth all the effort, and is a key element in my No-turkey​"

Makes Around 20 rashers

Cooks In 180 minutes

Difficulty 7/10

Ingredients for the 'bacon'

• 240ml (1 cup) vegetable stock
• 120ml (1/2 cup) apple juice
• 10g (1/2 cup) dried mushrooms
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 5 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp miso paste
• 4 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp liquid smoke
• 1 red onion, finely chopped and sautéed
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped and sautéed
• 100g (1/2 cup) tinned chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper​
• 300g (21/4 cups) vital wheat gluten
• 4 tbsp chickpea (gram) flour
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast

Ingredients for 'the streak'

• 80g (1/2 cup) firm tofu
• 120ml (1/2 cup) soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 100g (1/2 cup) canned chickpeas (garbanzos), drained
• 1 tsp onion salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried tarragon
• 1 tbsp white miso paste
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 130g (1 cup) vital wheat gluten
• 2 tbsp chickpea (gram) flour
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Method

• Place all the wet ingredients for the “bacon” into a food processor and blitz together.
• Combine all the dry ingredients for the “bacon” in a large mixing bowl, add the blitzed wet ingredients and mix together to form a dough, then tip the dough out on to a clean work surface.
• Knead well for 12 minutes, either by hand or in an electric stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. It’s really important that you knead the dough properly – if you don’t your finished “bacon” will be soft and spongy. After 12 minutes of kneading, set the dough aside to rest at room temperature.
• Blitz together all the wet ingredients for the “streak”.
• Combine all the dry ingredients for the “streak” in a large clean mixing bowl, add the blitzed wet ingredients and mix together to form a dough, then tip it out on to a clean work surface.
• Knead by hand, or use a stand mixer, for 4–6 minutes.
• Roll and bash the “bacon” dough using a rolling pin until it’s approximately A4-paper-sized. Do the same with the “streak” dough, then lay the streak dough on top of the “bacon” dough and cut the doughs in half.
• Place one half on top of the other and roll/ bash the doughs together until you have a rectangle about 4cm​ (11/2in) thick.
• Generously sprinkle sea salt over the dough rectangle and set aside.
• Set a large saucepan of water over a medium heat to simmer.
• Wrap the dough tightly in greaseproof paper and then in cling film (plastic wrap). Make sure it is well sealed, then lower the wrapped dough into the water to simmer for 2 hours, flipping over half way through cooking.
• After 2 hours remove the “bacon” from the water and leave until cool enough to handle. Unwrap the “bacon”, transfer to a plate and put it in the fridge to cool completely (about 4 hours).
• Once chilled, slice the “bacon” to the thickness of your choice.
• You can eat it cold or pan fry, grill or bake it until golden and crisp. It keeps in the fridge for around a week and can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Cranberry and Orange sauce

Makes 360g (13oz)

Ingredients

• 300g (3 cups) fresh cranberries
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 Braeburn apple, grated
• 200g (1 cups) caster (superfine) sugar
• 240ml (1 cup) fresh orange juice

Method

• To sterilize your jars, place them in a large saucepan filled with cold water, place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 3 minutes then turn off the heat. Carefully remove the jars from the water when you’re ready to fill them.
• Heat all the ingredients in a heavy-based​ saucepan over a low heat with the lid on.
• Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.
• Remove the jars from the hot water, spoon the sauce into the hot jars and seal. The sauce will keep for 4 weeks in the fridge.

Sweet Potato and Chesnut Stuffing

"Stuffing is one of my favourite parts of the Christmas dinner. I love this recipe, it has all the Christmassy flavours you could want. It tastes amazing when stuffed inside my 'No-turkey'”

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp dried sage
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 150g (51/2oz) sweet potato, peeled, cubed and steamed
• 95g (1/2 cup) dried apricots, finely chopped
• 45g (1/4 cup) dried cranberries, finely chopped​
• 50g (3/4 cup) breadcrumbs (gluten-free if necessary)​
• 100g (31/2oz) vacuum-packed chestnuts, chopped
• 200g (1 cup) canned chickpeas (garbanzos) or butterbeans
• Zest of 1 lemon

Method

• First, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and then line a medium-sized baking dish with greaseproof paper.
• Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leek, garlic, herbs, cinnamon and cooked sweet potato and sauté until the leek has softened and the potato has browned. Add all the remaining ingredients and toss until well combined.
• Turn the heat off and, using an old-fashioned potato masher, lightly mash the mix. Break down any large chunks of sweet potato and the chickpeas/butterbeans.
• Spoon the mixture into the lined baking dish and press it in to compact the mixture.
• Place the dish onto a baking tray and slide it into the oven to bake for 35–40 minutes.
• Once it’s cooked, allow the stuffing to cool before taking it out of the dish and peeling off the paper.

Sexy Brussels Sprouts

(Simon Smith (Simon Smith)

"Even if you’re not usually a sprout lover, I promise you will love these. Topping them with my coconut “bacon” bits just takes them to the next level."

Serves 4

Cooks In 25 minutes

Difficulty 2/10

Gluten-free

Ingredients

• 500g (1lb) Brussels sprouts, trimmed
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 200g (2 cups) vacuum-packed chestnuts, halved
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• handful of dried cranberries
• zest of 1 lemon
• pinch of sea salt and pepper

For the coconut "bacon" bits

• 100g (1 cup) coconut flakes
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Method

• Preheat the oven 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
• First up, make the coconut “bacon” bits. Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well to coat the coconut flakes. Spread them out evenly over the lined baking tray and bake for 10–15 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Stir the coconut on the tray a couple of times during cooking to avoid it burning (which it can easily do).
• For the sprouts, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Gradually add the sprouts to the water, making sure the water keeps at a rolling boil, and cook until tender and a vibrant green colour, usually around 3–4 minutes.
• Once the sprouts are cooked, drain and place them onto a tray lined with kitchen paper to soak up excess water if cooking straight away. Alternatively, you can chill the sprouts in the fridge at this stage until you’re ready to flavour them up just before serving.
• Before serving, heat the rapeseed oil in a large work over a high heat. Add the sprouts and sauté them for 2 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients and continue to cook over a high heat, stirring often, for 3 more minutes. A little colour on the sprouts adds great flavour.
• Once your sprouts are nicely coloured, throw in a handful of coconut “bacon”, saving the rest to sprinkle on top once you’ve dished up.​

​​Fluffy Yorkshire Puddings

(Simon Smith)

"This was a hard recipe for me to crack, but after several attempts I managed to veganise Yorkshire puddings! Make sure you get your baking tin very hot for this!"

Makes 12

Cooks In 30 minutes

Difficulty 5/10

Ingredients

• 260g (2 generous cups) self-raising flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 480ml (2 cups) soy milk, or vegan milk of your choice
• Vegetable oil, for greasing

Method

• Preheat the oven to 210°C (420°F). Pour about 2 teaspoons of oil into each hole in a 12-hole Yorkshire-pudding baking tin.
• Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together well in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk to the bowl, whisk together until smooth, then pour the batter into a jug.
• Now it’s time to get the baking tray hot – place it into the oven for 4 minutes, then remove the tray and quickly fill each hole with batter.
• Carefully put the tray back into the oven for 16 minutes, or until the puddings are golden brown and nicely risen.
• Serve straight away.

For more Christmas Day recipes click here.

Vegan Christmas by Gaz Oakley is available now. Oakley's new book, Plants Only Kitchen, will be published on 2 April 2020 published by Quadrille, follow him at @AvantGardeVegan​.