Serves 4

2 large potatoes
350g/12oz celeriac or parsnips
pinch nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
45ml/3tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced
15ml/1tbsp soft brown sugar
225g/8oz mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
To garnish fresh parsley and basil leaves

Gremolata
50g/2 oz vegan margarine, softened
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ lemon, juice and zest
a few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
a few sprigs fresh basil, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Coulis
2 small onions, peeled and very finely chopped
15ml/1tbsp olive oil
15-30ml/1-2tbsp mild curry powder
225g/8oz peach chutney
60-75ml/4-5tbsp water

Copyright The Vegetarian Society's Simply Good Food Published by Harper Collins Illustrated 2000.

Although there are several elements to this dish it is in fact all quite easy to prepare and each stage can be done in advance and refrigerated. The spicy peach coulis is an unusual contrasting taste - you could substitute mango chutney if you prefer.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6

1 Peel the potatoes and celeriac (or parsnips). Halve the potatoes and cut the celeriac into similar sized pieces. Par-boil for 5 minutes (if using parsnips, leave raw), then drain and coarsely grate (use food processor disk). Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

2 Grease a baking sheet and arrange the mixed grated vegetables in 4 10cm/4" mounds. Flatten with a spatula and make a depression in the centre (like a little nest), drizzle with a little extra olive oil, then bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

3 Meanwhile fry the onions in 15ml/1 tbsp olive oil until golden brown, stir in the sugar and seasoning. Keep warm.

4 Cook the mushrooms and garlic in 30ml/2tbsp olive oil for 5 minutes, season and keep warm.

5 Make the gremolata by beating all the ingredients into the margarine.

6 Take the rostis out of the oven. Top with the onions, the mushrooms and finally the gremolata and return to the oven for 10 minutes to heat through.

7 Meanwhile make the coulis. Gently fry the onion in the oil until tender, add the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes stirring all the time. Then add the chutney and water. Heat through gently, then blend until smooth.

8 Place the rostis on serving plates then pour a little coulis around each. Decorate with fresh parsley and basil.

Xmas Food Tip- This recipe would make a great main course for a meal. Vegetarians, apart from avoiding the turkey and meaty trimmings, need simply make sure that their roast potatoes are cooked with a vegetable fat, and that a vegetarian gravy is available. Most supermarkets now stock veggie gravy granules.