Feta, pistachio and pomegranate bake

Name: Feta, pistachio and pomegranate bake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 50 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing; 5 echalion shallots, thinly sliced; 2 carrots, peeled and grated; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 125 g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped; 50 g blanched almonds; 50 g pistachios, finely chopped, plus extra to serve; 250 g cooked basmati rice; 100 g fresh breadcrumbs; 200 g feta cheese, crumbled; 3 eggs, lightly beaten; 20 g pack dill, chopped, plus extra to serve; 25 g pack flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve; 25 g pack mint, leaves roughly chopped, plus extra to serve; ½ unwaxed lemon, zest; ½ orange, zest; 50 g dried cherries, chopped; 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses, plus extra to serve; 1 pomegranate seeds, to serve

A perfect vegetarian alternative for Christmas day. Prepare up to the end of step 2 on Christmas Eve, then chill to prepare for the big day!

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Vegetarian

Serves6
CourseMain meal
Prepare25 mins
Cook1 hr 20 mins
Total time1 hr 55 mins
Plusplus cooling

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Ingredients

50g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
5 echalion shallots, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
125g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
50g blanched almonds
50g pistachios, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
250g cooked basmati rice
100g fresh breadcrumbs
200g feta cheese, crumbled
3 eggs, lightly beaten
½ x 20g pack dill, chopped, plus extra to serve
½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
½ x 25g pack mint, leaves roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
½ unwaxed lemon, zest
½ orange, zest
50g dried cherries, chopped
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses, plus extra to serve
1 pomegranate seeds, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 190˚C, gas mark 5. Lightly butter a deep 20cm loose-based cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Melt the butter in a large pan on a low heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt, then sauté for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic, then cook for 5 minutes until soft. Turn up the heat slightly, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes until soft and turning golden. Meanwhile, toast the almonds and pistachios on a tray in the oven for 5-8 minutes, until golden. When cool, finely chop.
Let the mushroom mixture cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in all the remaining ingredients apart from the pomegranate seeds. Mix until well combined, then transfer to the prepared tin. Use the back of a spoon to press it down and smooth the top.
Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour until well browned and firm (cover with foil after 30 minutes if it browns too fast). Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle with extra pomegranate molasses, then scatter with the extra herbs and pistachios, plus the pomegranate seeds.