Veggie Wellington
I think I probably get more excited about cooking for the Holidays than I do the actual Holiday sometimes. Cooking and great food is afterall, a great way to bring people together and enjoy each other’s company. Somehow food has the ability to cross lines and bring us together regardless of religion, political views, or backgrounds.
I was looking for something new to make this past Christmas and kept looking at Wellington’s but a Vegetarian version. Lets face it, roasted veggies and all great things wrapped up in buttery puff pastry? That was the winner. Despite it appearance it’s quite easy to make.
Gather Up:
1 sheet of defrosted puff pastry or pie crust
3 Cups Butternut squash diced
1 onion diced
1/2 package veggie crumbles (about 6 oz)
1 cup of cooked lentils (Canned works great here!)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup bourbon or whiskey
1/2 cup cooked white or brown rice
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup AP Flour
2 tsp butter
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
At 400 degrees, bake the diced butternut squash on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes or until tender.
Cook the rice in water or broth per cooking instructions while moving onto the following steps;
In a large pan, on medium heat, saute the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and saute another two minutes. Add the veggie crumbles and stir for a few moments. Add bourbon to the pan to deglaze the pan and stir well. Reduce the heat to a simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add the rice, squash, lentils, nuts, and all of the herbs and stir well until mixed. Remove from heat.
Add the flour until the mixture and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. I also like adding either soy sauce or amino acids for an added depth of flavor. The flour should dry things up slightly and help bind everything together. Taste your filling at this point and make any spice adjustments as necessary.
Line a baking sheet or 11x9 inch pan with parchment paper. Roll out the defrosted dough and shape into a rectangle as much as possible. Carefully transfer to the pan or sheet. You may need to add some flour if the dough is too sticky to move. Transfer the veggie mix to the center of the dough forming a rectangular log down the center with about 3 inches of dough on the ends and about 4 inches on the side. It may seem like a lot of filling but pat this down and add as much filling as possible making a dense and even mound.
Melt 1/2 of the better in a microwave for a few seconds and pour onto the length of the filling. Carefully fold in the top and bottom of the dough onto the filling, stretching the dough carefully. Fold one side over the dough onto the top using the same method. The dough should be covering at least the center of the filling. Remove some filling if necessary. Lightly brush the edge of this with water and then fold over the other side on top sealing in the filling. The dough should be overlapping by at least 1 cm. With a sharp knife cut some vents into the top of the dough. I like to be creative and make a design with my cuts. Brush the remaining butter all over the dough and then sprinkle with salt and a pinch of dried herbs.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until dough is Golden and flaky. Serve immediately alone or with roasted vegetables. Slice to serve.
There are several variations available on this recipe with the vegetables. Carrots and potatoes would work well in replace of the squash or mushrooms instead of the lentils.
For another variation, serve with a vegetable gravy that your guests can spoon over. I like a simple onion gravy which is easily made by sauteing minced onion with herbs in olive oil. Add flour to the onions and stir to coat while slowly adding broth, whisking as you add. Add enough water to make a pourable gravy.
