No-worries vegetarian Christmas feast

The menu

• Starters & nibbles

  Citrus and pomegranate salad with chilli-honey dressing

• Side dishes

  Creole aubergines

• Main course

  Hot hot roots with fresh mango and coconut relish

• Desserts

  Lime and cranberry bread and butter pudding

Menu ingredients

Serves 8

• Fruit and vegetables

  • 1 small red chilli, cut in half, seeds removed, finely chopped

  • 4 small oranges, peeled, pith removed, segmented

  • 2 ruby grapefruit, peeled, pith removed, segmented

  • 1 plain grapefruit, peeled, pith removed, segmented

  • 1 small red onion, peeled, very finely sliced

  • bunch fresh mint leaves, torn

  • 1 pomegranate, seeds only, to serve

  • 2 onions, peeled, finely chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped

  • 1 green pepper, seeds removed, chopped

  • 1 red pepper, seeds removed, chopped

  • 3 large aubergines, cut into cubes

  • 800g/1lb 12¼oz canned cherry tomatoes

  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

  • 8 lime wedges

  • 3 onions, peeled, finely chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife

  • 4cm/1½in piece fresh root ginger, peeled, finely chopped or grated

  • 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, seeds removed, chopped

  • 300g/10½oz carrots, peeled, cut into equal-sized pieces

  • 300g/10½oz parsnips, peeled, cut into equal-sized pieces

  • 300g/10½oz sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into equal-sized pieces

  • 400g/14oz small waxy potatoes, halved lengthways

  • 2 tbsp tomato purée

  • 100g/3½oz French beans, trimmed, cut in half

  • 200g/7oz baby spinach leaves, washed

  • 1 lime, juice only

  • 75g/2½oz desiccated coconut, just covered with boiling water and set aside to soak for 30 minutes

  • 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, stones removed, julienned

  • 2 red chillies, cut in half, seeds removed, very finely sliced

  • 1-2 limes, juice only

  • handful fresh mint leaves

  • 8 limes, zest and juice

  • 100g/3½oz fresh cranberries

  • 50g/2oz dried cranberries

  • 8 tbsp ready-made redcurrant jelly, for glazing

• Cooking ingredients

  • 5 tsp white wine vinegar

  • 4 tsp clear honey

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 6 tbsp olive oil

  • ¼ tbsp hot paprika

  • ¼ tbsp sweet paprika

  • 2 tsp ground cumin

  • ½ tsp soft light brown sugar

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil, or groundnut oil

  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tsp ground turmeric

  • 1½ tsp ground coriander

  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

  • 1 litre/1¾ pints vegetable stock, or water

  • 2 fresh bay leaves

  • pinch soft dark brown sugar

  • 75g/2½oz cashew nuts, crushed, plus extra, chopped, to serve

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • ½ tsp mustard seeds

  • 2 tsp caster sugar

  • pinch salt

  • 225g/8oz caster sugar

  • 3 free-range eggs

  • 100g/3½oz soft light brown sugar

• Drinks

  • ½ tbsp rum

  • 3-4 tbsp rum (optional)

• Dairy, eggs and chilled

  • 4 tbsp double cream

  • 85g/3oz chilled butter, cut into cubes

  • 3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten

  • 300ml/10½fl oz full-fat milk

  • 300ml/10½fl oz double cream

  • pinch salt

  • 40g/1½oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

  • 200ml/7fl oz double cream, whipped until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed, to serve

• Other

  • 4-6 soft white bread rolls, sliced

By Levi Roots