Christmas Feast 2025

MUSHROOM FILLING (please do this the day before)

Dice the red onion.

Quarter the mushrooms.

Put a large pot on medium-high heat.

Fry off the onions in a pinch of salt and tablespoon of oil for 4-5 minutes, until soft and translucent.

Add the mushrooms and another pinch of salt and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly. We want the mushrooms to leach most of their water so they don’t leak into the filo when cooking.

Add the mushroom seasoning and the flour and stir it all together. This should cause the water from the mushrooms to thicken slightly so that it looks similar to a pie filling. Cook for a further 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and fold in 2/3 of the Angel Foods sour cream until it is fully incorporated. You can keep the rest for another meal or add it to our Platter if you purchased one.

Transfer to a large container and store in the fridge. This is all that’s required at this point.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (please do this the day before)

To start, we are going to set up a double boiler. You will need a pot and a metal or glass bowl that sits on the pot without the bottom going too deep into it.

Fill the pot with about an inch of water and put it on low-medium heat until boiling. It is important that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water in the pot.

For the next step, please use a tea towel or oven mitts to handle the bowl as it will get very hot.

Place the chocolate into the bowl and let it slowly melt over the boiling water, making sure to stir constantly using a wooden spoon or spatula. Once 90% melted, you can remove the bowl and keep stirring to melt down the remaining chocolate. Make sure you don’t allow any water into the chocolate while melting.

Once the chocolate has melted, pour in the vanilla and maple.

Pour the soy milk into a blender or food processor and break up the tofu into it. Add the chocolate and pulse the blender until it all combines, then turn to low and let it fully blend together until it looks rich and creamy.

Pour into the bowl you plan to serve it in for Christmas, cover with glad wrap, and place in the fridge until needed.

OPTIONAL PRE-CHRISTMAS

Empty the potatoes into a sink and wash any dirt off thoroughly. You do not need to peel them.

Put the potatoes in an appropriate pot, fill with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes.

Strain the potatoes and let them cool before placing in the fridge covered.

Pre-heat the pot with water and a pinch of salt.

Wash the carrots under cold water then chop most of the stalk off. A little on the end is ok.

Boil the carrots for 8-12 minutes, until al dente. Strain and let cool before covering and chilling overnight.

CHRISTMAS DAY

If you pre-boiled the potatoes and carrots, remove them from the fridge now along with the mushroom mix.

Get everything you need out and on the benches so that you’re prepped for cooking.

Pick the thyme leaves.

To finish off the mushroom mix, break the walnuts into it and add the spinach and 1/3 of the thyme.

Fold them through until evenly dispersed

If you didn’t pre-boil the potatoes and carrots, follow step 3 now.

If you did pre-boil them, put the potatoes on an oven tray ready to re-heat.

MAKING THE FILO

The key with the filo is the olivani spread. You want to try and take it all the way to the corners to get a nice, even colour.

Preheat your oven to 190.

Remove the filo layers and place on a large board.

You’ll need to slice them down the middle so that you have twice the amount of sheets.

Stack them up and place on the bench. Lay a damp cloth or tea towel over them so that they don’t lose their moisture.

Get a large piece of baking paper and place it on a flat oven tray. You’re going to put the wreath together on the tray so you don’t have to move it once it’s done.

Lightly spread the olivani over the first filo sheet then place it lengthways across the baking tray with the middle of the filo sheet near the top.

Spread the next filo sheet with butter and place on a 45 degree angle with half of it overlapping. We will be creating a hexagon shape with 5 sheets that can then fold up so that the wreath is on the baking tray.

Once you have your base layer of 5 filo sheets in the shape of a diamond on your baking tray, repeat the process until each side of the diamond has 4-5 layers of filo. Make sure to spread the butter evenly on each piece of filo as you’re doing it.

Scoop the mushroom mix so that it is evenly spread around the center on the filo sheets. Make sure to leave enough filo on the inside of the mushrooms to fold it up over them. You will then need to fold the filo around the mix and crumple it together at the top to seal it. This will give the top of your filo wreath a delicious, crispy texture.

Lightly re-shape it into a circle if needed, making sure that the whole wreath is on the baking tray.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Garnish with thyme and cracked pepper. You will need about 1/3 of the total thyme left over to garnish the carrots.

Wash the cos lettuce whole under cold water then shake off any excess water. Slice the cos straight down the middle, then again with the two halves, making sure that the core is holding each piece together. Set aside.

Put the potatoes in the oven for about 10 minutes to re-heat them.

Get a large pan on medium-high for the carrots with a little oil. Place the carrots in the pan with a little salt and fry them for 4-6 minutes until slightly coloured. Try not to move them too much as you might break them up – but you do want an even cook.

Add the maple glaze mix (not vanilla maple!) and cumin, tossing them to coat them in the glaze. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until reduced then toss in the thyme, leaving a little for garnish.

Arrange on a serving plate, tip over any excess glaze and sprinkle with the last of the thyme.

Either wash the same pan out or get a fresh one and set to high with a little oil.

Fry the green beans with a little salt for 3-4 minutes, then add a splash of water and let it reduce out to help soften the beans.

Toss through half of the dukkah then place on a serving plate and garnish with remaining dukkah.

Reheat the gravy in a pot. This should only take 3-4 minutes.

Don’t forget to check the filo wreath.

Once the potatoes are warmed through, toss about 1/4 of the preserved lemon butter through them to give them a nice gloss. The rest will be best dolloped onto the potatoes once served so you don’t leave any of the preserved lemon in the bottom of the dish.

Sprinkle the cos lettuce with parmesan, making sure to get some in the layers of the leaves.

Dollop the leaves with ranch, also getting between the leaves to give it a nice even coating.

Arrange on a serving plate.

Remove the mousse from the fridge and garnish with fresh raspberries and crushed hazelnuts.

You now should have the green beans, carrots, potatoes and cos ready to go on their serving plates.

Use the baking paper to transfer the filo wreath onto a large board then pull it out from under it.

Arrange on the table and enjoy your Christmas Feast!

• Merry Christmas from the team at Green Dinner Table