BOSH! Classic Mushroom Wellington
Sunday lunches are a big deal here in the UK. They're the perfect way to get the family round the dinner table for a communal chow down and a chit chat. Roast dinners usually revolve around a big piece of roast beef, lamb, pork or chicken, which obviously poses a problem if you're veganWe like a Sunday lunch just as much as the next person so we decided to design a dish that makes a great Sunday lunch centrepiece.If you're a fan of Sunday lunch and you're looking for something to replace the meat, this Mushroom Wellington has come to save the day.
Serves
Ingredients
For the recipe
<item-todo-done>1 tbsp olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp salt<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tsp peppers<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tsp light brown sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 tbsp plant-based milk<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 x 180g vacuum packed pre-cooked chestnuts<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>7 garlic cloves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>6 sprig of fresh thyme<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>5 sprigs of fresh rosemary<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 large red onion<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>300g chestnut mushrooms<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>125ml white wine<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>250g pecans<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 slices of seeded bread - around 80g<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 ready-rolled plant-based shortcrust pastry sheets<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt & pepper to taste<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 portobello mushrooms - around 160g<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Preheat oven to 200°C | Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper | Large frying pan on a medium heat | Food processor | Pastry brush, optional | Pastry cutters, optional
Prepare the portobello mushrooms
- Peel and mince 4 of the garlic cloves using a sharp knife
- Remove the leaves from 4 rosemary and 4 thyme sprigs by running your thumb and forefinger from the top to the base of the stems (the leaves should easily come away), then finely chop
- Lay the portobello mushrooms on one of the lined baking trays with the stems pointing up
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil over the gills of each mushroom and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper
- Divide the chopped rosemary, thyme and garlic between the mushrooms
- Put the tray in the oven and cook for 15 minutes
- Remove and set aside
Meanwhile, cook the onions
- Peel and finely chop the red onion
- Add the tablespoon of oil to the frying pan
- Add the red onion to the pan and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened
While the onions are cooking
- Peel and finely chop the remaining 3 garlic cloves
- Remove the leaves from the remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs and finely chop
- Measure 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper and the sugar into a small bowl
- Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and sugar into the pan and stir everything round for 1 minute
- Put the chestnut mushrooms into the food processor and whizz until very finely chopped
- Tip them into the pan, increase the heat to high and cook until softened and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes
- Pour the white wine into the pan and stir it around for about 3 minutes, or until almost all the liquid has cooked off
- Tip the mixture into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool for 5 minutes
Finish the Wellington mixture
- Put the chestnuts, pecans and bread into the food processor and whizz until they resemble breadcrumbs (you may need to do this in batches)
- Add to the bowl with the onions
- Using a wooden spoon, thoroughly stir everything together until you have a thick dough-like mixture
Start arranging your Wellington
- Lay 1 pastry sheet on the other lined baking tray
- Spread half the chestnut mixture lengthways down the middle of the pastry sheet
- Use your hands to mould it into a rectangle shape with a flat top, leaving at least a 3cm gap on all four sides
- This shape will dictate the shape of the Wellington so make sure it’s nice and straight and level on top
- Place the 4 cooked portobello mushrooms neatly on top of the chestnut mixture, stems facing up, making sure the sides of the mushrooms don’t hang off the edges
- Layer the rest of the chestnut mixture over the top, encasing the mushrooms
- Smooth and shape into a neat, long, rectangular mound
- Using a pastry brush or your finger, brush a little of the plant-based milk around the exposed pastry edge
Seal the Wellington
- Lay the second pastry sheet over the mushroom filling and press it all down well, ensuring there are no air bubbles
- Seal the edges by pushing down all the way round the filling with your fingers
- Trim any excess pastry from the edges, making sure you leave a 11⁄2cm crust around the base of the Wellington
- Set the excess pastry aside for later
- Use a fork to crimp all around the edges of the pastry to firmly seal the Wellington and to make it look nice
Finish and bake
- Roll out the excess pastry if necessary and use a pastry cutter to cut out shapes
- Brush the Wellington lightly with the plant-based milk and decorate the top with the pastry shapes
- Brush the shapes with the plant-based milk
- Pierce some air vents in the top of the Wellington with a fork or sharp knife
- Put the Wellington in the oven and bake it for 40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes (if it looks ready, remove it from the oven)
- Use a bread knife to carefully cut the Wellington into slices and serve