Chantelle Nicholson’s Ultimate Vegan Christmas

Chantelle Nicholson, the New Zealand-born former lawyer-turned-chef at Marcus Wareing’s London restaurant Tredwells, may be an omnivore but she’s passionate about plant-based food.

The numbers of full-time vegans increased four-fold in the last ten years and more of us now forgo animal products during the week.

All of which means that this Christmas, the chances of someone at your festive table being vegan is pretty likely. Add in the lactose and egg intolerants, and it makes good sense to have some plant-based dishes on hand.

These days Tredwells always has three vegan starters and main courses plus a couple of dairy-free puddings on the menu, her regular five course vegan supper clubs sell out, and there is a book, Planted, out next year.

Vegans often miss out at Christmas, according to Nicholson, as many recipes “miss that satisfaction you get from savouriness, creaminess and depth of flavour.” One important tip is to caramelise vegetables as you would meat, to increase the depth of flavour.

And don’t assume that you have to fall back on nuts and legumes. “They can get a bit heavy – so I prefer a roast celeriac with a savoury cep powder,” Nicholson says. The point is, as with all food, “it should be delicious.”

Nicholson is the co-author of Wareing’s cookbook Nutmeg and Custard.

Original article by Xanthe Clay, The Telegraph, November 26, 2017.