Delve into a festive vegetarian Christmas menu featuring innovative dishes from chef Johann Lafer. Enjoy a starter of rutabaga cream soup with crispy cheese rolls, followed by a main course of fried vegan chestnut gnocchi paired with maple syrup glazed apple Brussels sprouts. Conclude with a delightful vegan tiramisu in a glass, made with spelt and fresh blueberries. These recipes showcase the versatility and richness of plant-based cuisine for holiday celebrations.
Delicious Vegetarian Christmas Menu Ideas
Christmas without a hearty roast? For many, it seems unimaginable. However, the world of vegetarian and vegan cuisine opens up a plethora of options to craft a festive feast. Renowned chef Johann Lafer, 67, shares his culinary insights: “A delightful Christmas risotto featuring mushrooms is a fantastic choice. Alternatively, consider a vegetable spring roll drizzled with an orange vinaigrette,” he suggests in a recent interview.
The secret to achieving a ‘wow moment’ in vegetarian dishes lies in exploring a diverse range of spices beyond just salt and pepper. Lafer’s favorite ingredients include yuzu, oat block butter, homemade vegetable stock, and an array of winter veggies. For those looking to impress a staunch meat enthusiast, he recommends: “Try caramelized chestnuts glazed with passion fruit juice, paired with lamb’s lettuce dressed in pumpkin seed oil and a light balsamic vinegar, complemented by pumpkin falafel.” Let’s dive into some inspiring recipes for a vegetarian Christmas menu inspired by Johann Lafer.
Starter: Rutabaga Cream Soup with Crispy Cheese Rolls
Ingredients for 4 servings: 2 shallots, 250 g rutabaga, 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, 1 tsp sugar, 600 ml strong vegetable broth, 200 g finely grated Gruyère, 1 tbsp milk, 1 egg, 2 tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 sheet of ready-made strudel dough, about 3 tbsp liquid butter, 50 g butter, salt, pepper, juice of 1/2 lemon.
Preparation: Begin by peeling and dicing the shallots, then clean and chop the rutabaga into small pieces. Sauté both ingredients in hot oil for around 2 minutes until they become translucent. Sprinkle sugar over the mixture and let it caramelize slightly. Add the broth, cover, and let it simmer over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes.
For the cheese rolls, mix the Gruyère with milk, egg, flour, and baking powder. Brush the strudel dough with butter and cut it into four rectangles. Pipe the cheese mixture along each piece and roll them up. Fry the rolls in hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy, then place them on kitchen paper to drain excess oil.
Blend the soup until smooth with a hand blender. Stir in the butter and season with salt, pepper, and a splash of lemon juice. Optionally, garnish with fried rutabaga cubes and chives, then ladle into cups and serve alongside the rolls.
Main Course: Fried Vegan Chestnut Gnocchi with Maple Syrup Glazed Apple Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients for 4 servings: 250 g cooked chestnuts (fresh or vacuum-packed), 150 g vegan soy cream, 50 g chestnut flour, salt, black pepper, 400 g Brussels sprouts, 2-3 small apples, 2 sprigs of parsley, 3 sprigs of marjoram, 2-3 tbsp rapeseed oil, 50 g margarine, 3 tbsp maple syrup.
Preparation: Finely chop the chestnuts and cook them with the soy cream in a small pot for about 5 minutes. Puree the mixture until smooth and incorporate the chestnut flour, kneading it into a dough. Season with salt and pepper. Roll the gnocchi dough into 2 cm thick sausages, cut them into short pieces, and shape into balls.
Prepare the Brussels sprouts by cleaning, halving, and cooking them in boiling salted water for about 5 minutes until al dente. Remove with a slotted spoon and cool. Cut the apples into wedges and chop the parsley and marjoram leaves finely.
Drop the gnocchi into a pot of gently simmering salted water and cook for 5-6 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Heat rapeseed oil in a large non-stick pan and fry the gnocchi until golden. Set aside and add the Brussels sprouts and apple wedges to the pan, cooking for 6-8 minutes while stirring gently. Add margarine and maple syrup to glaze the mixture.
Return the fried gnocchi to the pan, toss with the chopped herbs, and give it a final seasoning with salt and pepper.
Dessert: Vegan Tiramisu in a Glass with Spelt
Ingredients for approximately 12 small servings: 120 g spelt flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 50 g coconut blossom sugar, 60 g coconut oil, 120 ml sparkling mineral water, 1 tbsp fruit vinegar, 250 g fresh blueberries, 50 g gelling sugar 3:1, juice of 1 lime, 100 g dark chocolate 70%, 40 g coconut blossom sugar, 250 ml coconut milk, about 100 ml strong cold espresso, 75 ml amaretto, and about 2 tbsp cocoa powder for dusting.
Preparation: Preheat your oven to 180 °C and line a deep baking tray with baking paper. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Melt the coconut oil in a small pot and combine it with the dry mixture, adding sparkling water and vinegar, mixing until well blended. Spread the batter evenly on the tray and bake for about 15 minutes. Once cooled, cut out approximately 24 circles the size of the glasses.
To make the blueberry compote, combine blueberries with gelling sugar and lime juice in a pot and boil for around 4 minutes, then let cool completely in the refrigerator.
For the cream, chop the dark chocolate and heat coconut blossom sugar with coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Stir in the chocolate until melted, then cool in the fridge. Mix espresso with amaretto and soak the sponge discs on both sides. Whip the chocolate-coconut mixture until creamy, then layer it with the blueberry compote and soaked sponge in small serving glasses. Finish with a light dusting of cocoa powder before serving.