Big BOSH! Roast: Mushroom Wellington

Whether it’s Christmas, Thanksgiving or just a normal Sunday, a roast dinner is the jewel in the crown of British cuisine. But if you’re living that plant-based life, how do you manage it without meat? EASY. We’ve based ours around a glorious centrepiece mushroom wellington. Fluffy, rich, full of texture and goes great with gravy. Better than your mum’s roast (just don’t tell her we said that).

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Mince 4 of the garlic cloves using a sharp knife. Strip 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.

Step 2

Lay the portobello mushrooms on a lined baking tray 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.

Step 3

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the red onion. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the frying pan. Add the red onion to the pan and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.

Step 4

While the onions are cooking, finely chop the remaining 3 garlic cloves. Strip 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.

Step 5

Put the chestnut mushrooms into the food processor and whizz until very finely chopped. Tip them into the pan, increase the heat too high and cook until softened and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes.

Step 6

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.

Step 7

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.

Step 8

Lay 1 pastry sheet on the other 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.

Step 9

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.

Step 10

Using a pastry brush or your finger, brush a little of the plant-based milk around the exposed pastry edge. 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 1.5cm crust around the base of the Wellington. Put the excess pastry to one side for later. Use a fork to crimp all around the edges of the pastry to firmly seal the Wellington and to make it look awesome.

Step 11

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. Also brush the shapes with the plant-based milk. Pierce some air vents in the top of the Wellington with a fork or sharp knife.

Step 12

Put the Wellington in the oven and bake it for 40 minutes at 200℃, 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.

↑Support creators by visiting their site 😊