BRAISED CHESTNUT & GRAIN WELLINGTON, WITH A CHARRED RED PEPPER DRESSING

BRAISED CHESTNUT & GRAIN WELLINGTON, WITH A CHARRED RED PEPPER DRESSING

Excellent flavor with the use of chestnuts and grains to create an epic Christmas centerpiece

INGREDIENTS

• 1 leek, roughly chopped
• 4 Cloves of Garlic, peeled
• 1 Red Pepper, seeds removed
• 10 Shiitake Mushrooms
• 2 Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 3 tablespoons of tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon of Dried Sage
• 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 tablespoons Plain Flour or GF Flour
• 1/2 cup/125ml Vegan Friendly Red Wine
• 3/4 cup/195ml Vegetable Juice
• 2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce
• 1 tablespoon of Miso Paste
• 2 Bags of Merchant Gourmet Chestnuts and Cereals
• 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce

Pastry

• 1 Roll of Instant Puff Pastry
• 1/4 cup/30g Plain Flour

Secret

• 1/4 cup/60ml Milk
• 4 tablespoons maple
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• Pinch Sea Salt

Red Pepper Sauce

• 2 cups/350 g Roasted Red Peppers, from a jar, drained
• 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon of tahini
• 1 teaspoon of Dried Sage
• 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Sweet Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Caramelized Red Onion

• 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil or water
• 3 Red Onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
• Pinch of Sea Salt and Pepper
• 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme, chopped, plus extra for garnish

decorate with

• Crispy Sage Leaves
• Vegan Feta (optional)
• pistachios
• Pomegranate Seed

METHOD

1. Make the stuffing first (which I usually do the day before serving). Add the leeks, garlic, paprika, carrots and mushrooms to a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Preheat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add the leek mixture to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes or until golden.
2. Mix the tomato puree, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and pepper, then add the flour. Cook the flour, stirring constantly, for about one minute.
3. Then polish the pan with red wine and vegetable stock. When the liquid comes to a boil, add the merchant gourmet chestnuts and cereals, soy sauce, miso paste, and cranberries. Fry the mixture for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid really thickens, then transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool completely.
4. On the day of serving, add the glaze ingredients to a small bowl and mix. Sprinkle flour on the surface and roll out your dough about 30cm x 30cm and cut it in half.
5. Making sure your filling is completely cooled (ideally cold in the refrigerator), spoon the filling into the center of one of the pie rectangles, leaving a 3cm edge around the filling. Brush the dough with some glaze and place the other cake rectangle neatly on top. Cover the boarder with your finger, then trim the edges to keep it neat. You can crimp the edges with a fork and use Christmas-themed cutters with any cut pastry to fill the Wellington. Brush on some glaze. Then set the wellington aside until ready to cook.
6. Meanwhile, add the paprika sauce ingredients to a food processor and blend until a chunky paste forms. Set the dressing aside until serving.
7. To make the caramelized onions, add some oil in a medium saucepan and then the onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and coloured. Add sugar, vinegar, spices and thyme. Mix well and reduce the heat a lot. Cover the pot and let the onions caramelize for 15 minutes, stirring/shaking the pan occasionally.
8. To cook the Wellington, place it on the middle rack for 30 minutes in a preheated 180 degree oven. Apply an extra 25 minutes of glaze throughout cooking.
9. Serve your Wellington with lots of gravy, caramelized onions, crunchy sage, pomegranate seeds, pistachios and vegan feta + all your Christmas decorations.