Vegan (Strict Vegetarian) Nut Roast à la PeTA

Credit for this recipe must go to PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), who published something very similar for Thanksgiving, 1994. There are many variations in many vegetarian cookbooks, and this version uses ideas from many recipes.

Richer than a basted capon, tenderer than a roasted turkey, this dish will please anyone at your Thanksgiving or other holiday meal. This roast has two parts: the roast itself plus a middle layer of "stuffing." But if you make it right, everything kind of oozes together once it's done, and the result is heavenly. Updated for 2000: fat has been reduced!

Ingredients:

The roast:

two tablespoons oil or margarine

2 large onions, chopped fine

5 cloves (or an entire bulb) garlic, minced

3 cups raw cashews

1 1/2 cups bread

1 cup soup stock (or water)

salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons lemon juice

The "stuffing":

3 cups bread cubes, toasted

two tablespoons margarine, melted but not hot

1/2 to 3/4 cup finely-chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon sage

3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

salt to taste

Method:

(From the first list:) Cook the onion and garlic in the oil or margarine until tender, and remove from the heat.

Chop the cashews by hand or in a food processor; cut up the bread as well. Add the cashews and bread to the onion, then add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Put half of this mixture into a small, non-stick loaf pan (or line a regular loaf pan with parchment paper if a non-stick pan is unavailable).

Mix together all the ingredients from the second list. Put the mixture on top of the stuff in the loaf pan, and add the rest of the first mixture so that there are three layers of food in the pan.

Place the pan on a baking sheet or in a larger loaf pan (in case it overflows while cooking), and bake at 400 degrees F for half an hour. The top should be browned.

Let the roast cool for a few minutes, then turn the pan over and serve the roast on a plate (or simply serve it out of the pan). Serve with gravy if desired, keeping in mind that it is a very rich dish.

Notes:

The roast will take about an hour to prepare.

The stuffing works well on its own -- and I often make extra!

The roast refrigerates well and can be frozen for a few months and microwaved back to life.

As shown, recipe makes roughly six servings.

Vegetable stock is often available in concentrate or as bouillon cubes, in health-food stores and in general grocery stores. If you really can't find it, use water.

When serving this roast, please inform the diners that the recipe is based on one by PeTA.

When preparing this recipe and any other food you enjoy, please use organically-grown vegetables, fruits, grains, and flavorings. The Earth you save may be your own.