MUSHROOM & SAGE WELLINGTON

Ingredients

• 3 5/8 clove Garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 leaf Sage, fresh
• 3 5/8 pcs Thyme, fresh
• 1.2 pcs Portobello mushrooms
• 5/8 tsp Sea salt
• 5/8 tsp Black pepper, ground
• 5/8 pcs Red onion
• 5/8 pcs Leek
• 1 1/4 tsp Coconut sugar, organic, Madhava
• 120 g Button mushrooms
• 60 ml Dry white wine
• 120 g Sweet chestnuts, raw
• 140 g Pecans
• 70 ml Bread crumbs, gluten free
• 1.2 pcs Puff pastry, frozen, vegan
• 2 3/8 tbsp Almond milk, unsweetened

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C & line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Peel and mince 4 of the garlic cloves & remove the leaves from half of the sage and the thyme sprigs, then finely chop.
3. Lay the portobello mushrooms on one of the lined baking trays with the stems pointing up, drizzle with 1 teaspoon veg stock over each mushroom and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Divide the chopped sage, thyme and garlic between the mushrooms. Place on the tray in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Once done, remove and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the red onion and the leek. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable stock to the frying pan and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
5. While the onions and leeks are cooking, peel and finely chop the remaining garlic cloves and remove the leaves from the remaining sage 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
6. Put the chestnut mushrooms into the food processor and whizz until very finely chopped and tip them into the pan, increase the heat to high and cook until softened and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes
7. Pour the white wine (use white wine vinegar for alcohol free alternative) 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
8. Put the chestnuts, pecans and bread into the food processor and blend until they resemble breadcrumbs (you may need to do this in batches). Add to the bowl with the onions. Now using a wooden spoon, thoroughly stir everything together until you have a thick dough-like mixture
9. Lay 1 pastry sheet on the other lined baking tray and spread half the chestnut mixture lengthways down the middle of the pastry sheet. Use your hands to mould it into a log 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.
10. Place the 2 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, trim if you need to. Layer the rest of the chestnut mixture over the top, encasing the mushrooms and smooth and shape into a neat, long, rectangular log shape mound.
11. Using a pastry brush or your finger, brush a little of the plant-based milk around the exposed pastry edge, this will help brown these areas and lay the second pastry sheet over the mushroom filling and press it all down well, ensuring there are no air bubbles. Trim any excess pastry from the edges, making sure you leave a 1 1⁄2cm crust around the base of the Wellington. Be sure to save the excess pastry 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
12. Now take the excess pastry and roll out 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 as you wish.
13. Put the Wellington in the oven and bake it for 40 minutes, checking after 35 minutes (if it looks ready, remove it from the oven).
14. Gently slice the the wellington, a bread knife is best and serve.
15. Enjoy!