If there is there any Christmasy recipe we can consider internationally famous, that is the Wellington sirloin. This elaboration that reminds us of a cake since it uses a sheet of puff pastry to wrap a piece of beef or beef tenderloin is perfect for the season. This recipe, which is easier to prepare than it seems, is part of the Christmas repertoire of many families.
And today, faithful to Mediterranean products, we want to give it a twist and step out of the original recipe. We want to replace the meat with vegetables, introducing a vegetarian version of Wellington for those who want to venture into the kitchen with open mind and try more vegetables into their diet. And why not start at Christmas with such a delicious recipe?
The vegetarian Wellington promises to be a preparation as nutritious as it is tasty and, since it’s possible to put great care in its presentation, it is a perfect option to present even to demanding diners. Remember the kitchen is yours so you can also experiment with the filling. Don’t be afraid to add Mediterranean products such as cheese or tomato. Vegetables are highly versatile.
Ingredients for the preparation of vegetarian Wellington
200 g of mushrooms
400 g of fresh spinach
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
75 g of dried fruits (walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts)
1 egg
1 filo sheet dough
1 puff pastry
25 ml of extra virgin olive oil
Goat or feta cheese (optional)
Salt
Black pepper
Process of making vegetarian Wellington
Start by laminating the mushrooms, they don’t have to be too small, remember that they will reduce their volume later. Next, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add the garlic so that it begins to flavour. When the garlic has taken on colour, add the mushrooms and sauté for about six more minutes.
Follow with the washed spinach and add salt and pepper to taste. Continue sautéing the vegetables until the spinach reduces, then add the Dijon mustard and continue stirring but this time only with the residual heat. Remove the pan from the heat and let the vegetables cool.
Once the vegetables are almost cold, start chopping the nuts. It can be the combination you want, but remember that if you use, for example, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, the Christmas nuances that you will find in your vegetarian Wellington will be more delicious than if you only use a variety.
Then spread a sheet of puff pastry on a smooth surface. You can help yourself with a sheet of greaseproof paper since it will then go to the oven. Cut some strips from the edges that will serve to decorate the upper part of the puff pastry. These strips can be thinner or thicker depending on the pattern you have in mind.
Now is the time to incorporate the vegetable filling into the centre of the puff pastry. To do this, you must first place the sheet of phyllo dough on the puff pastry and then spread the filling in a rectangular shape. This is the time to add, for example, cheese such as goat or feta to the vegetable mixture, before wrapping the filling with the phyllo dough to preserve its shape and then with the puff pastry.
Help yourself with a beaten egg to seal the ends of the puff pastry, so that they are well adhered. Turn the dough carefully, you can help yourself with the greaseproof paper and now is the time for creativity, start decorating with the puff pastry strips that you had cut previously.
If you don’t have a lot of time to think about your pattern, you can always choose to use the strips crosswise by creating diamonds in the central part of the Vegetarian Wellington. Now all you have to do is brush the puff pastry with the rest of the egg and put it in a preheated oven at 210ºC (410ºF) for around 25 minutes.
PRO TIP! If you are vegan, besides not adding the cheese, you can substitute the egg for a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and some vegetable milk. You won’t get the same exact effect, but it will be similar.
Remember that the moisture from the filling will have transferred to the bottom, so it’s important that you place the baking tray in the lowest part. Check if the cooking is adequate after about 20 minutes and if you consider that it should be more than 5 minutes, it may be convenient to cook with residual heat.
And you are ready to enjoy!
