Easy Vegan Wellington Food

EASY VEGAN WELLINGTON

Steps:

• Put the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour over 500ml boiling water from the kettle. Stir and press them down so they're well covered, then leave to soak.
• Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat, and fry the onion and chestnut mushrooms until the veg is very soft and the mushrooms look wilted and reduced, about 20 mins.
• Stir in the garlic and sweet potatoes, then the rehydrated mushrooms and their soaking liquid, leaving the last dregs of the liquid in the bowl (this may contain grit from the mushrooms). Cover and cook for 15 mins until the sweet potatoes are just softened, and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add a splash more water halfway through if the liquid evaporates too quickly.
• Remove the lid and stir in the chopped herbs, breadcrumbs, molasses, nuts and cranberries. Season well and sprinkle in the nutmeg. The mixture should be stiff enough to resemble stuffing, but not dry - all the breadcrumbs should be coated and have absorbed some of the liquid. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in the pan.
• Once cool, unroll one of the puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured non-stick baking sheet or baking tray lined with baking parchment. Whisk the milk and mustard together with a pinch of salt and set aside.
• Spoon the cooled filling down the middle of the pastry sheet in a neat line, leaving a 5cm border around the edges. Use the mustard-milk mix to brush the borders, then top with the second pastry sheet. Press the pastry around the filling to remove any air pockets, then crimp to seal the sides. Trim off any excess pastry with a sharp knife and use a fork or your fingers to make a pattern around the edge of the wellington.
• Cut a small steam hole in the top of the middle, then brush the top with the mustard-milk mix. Chill on the sheet or tray for 30 mins. Will keep in the fridge for up to two days.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the wellington from the fridge and brush with more of the mustard-milk mix. Score a pattern into the top of the pastry with a cutlery knife or fork, if you like, then bake for 35-40 mins until golden, puffed up and crisp - cover with foil if it's browning too quickly. Arrange the whole sage leaves on top of the wellington and stick them down with the mustard-milk mix, then return to the oven for 10 mins more.
• Leave to rest on a board or platter for 10 mins before cutting into chunky slices to serve.

NEXT LEVEL VEGAN WELLINGTON WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• Tip the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Leave to soak for 15-20 mins, then strain over a jug, pressing the mushrooms against the sieve with a wooden spoon to squeeze out all the liquid - you'll need 500ml liquid, so top up with water if needed. Chop the mushrooms.
• Heat the oil in a shallow pan over a medium heat, and cook the onions for 7 mins until starting to turn golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more, then the chopped mushrooms. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 3 mins. Stir in half the tomato purée and the flour, and cook for 2 mins until a sticky paste forms. Pour in the wine and bubble for 2 mins until you have a gloopy paste, then the mushroom soaking liquid. Stir in 2 tbsp bouillon powder, half the yeast extract and half the soy sauce. Season, stir well and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins. You should have a deeply flavoured gravy. Strain into a jug and set aside.
• Tip the strained mushroom and onion mixture into a blender along with the paprika, black beans and the liquid from the can, the remaining tomato purée, 1 tbsp bouillon powder, the rest of the soy sauce and yeast extract and 100ml water. Blitz to a paste and set aside. Put the wheat gluten in a bowl and season well, then mix in the thyme leaves and onion granules. Tip the veg paste into the wheat gluten mixture, and bring everything together using your hands. Knead for 8-10 mins until rubbery, then shape into a 8 x 20cm sausage. Season. Wrap in an oiled sheet of foil and rest for 10 mins. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Put the wrapped sausage in a deep roasting tin. Dissolve the remaining bouillon powder in 500ml water, and pour into the tin around the sausage. Cover the tin with foil and roast for 30 mins, then flip the sausage over and roast for 30 mins more. Remove from the oven and leave, covered in the tin, until completely cooled. Will keep chilled for up to two days.
• Cut off a quarter of the pastry and set aside. Roll the rest out into a rectangle large enough to wrap the sausage. Remove the sausage from the foil and brush all over with the cranberry sauce, then place it along one of the long edges of the pastry rectangle. Fold the shorter edges over the ends of the sausage, then roll the pastry up to enclose it. Put, seam-side down, on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Roll out the reserved pastry until large enough to cover the top of the wellington. Stamp out circles using a small round cutter and drape over the wellington, tucking it under at the edges. Brush the wellington all over with some almond milk. Chill for at least 30 mins, or up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 6. Brush the wellington with more milk and sprinkle with thyme and sea salt. Bake for 1 hr-1 hr 10 mins until golden and puffed up. Rest for 10 mins. Meanwhile, warm the gravy over a low heat. Carve the wellington into chunky slices. Serve with gravy and cranberry sauce.

MINI VEGAN WELLINGTONS

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
• Have a small bowl of water and a clean, floured pastry board ready.
• Chop walnut (food processor makes it easy) into very small bits. Scrape into large bowl.
• Chop brown rice and chickpeas in food processor until mixture forms a coarse mash. Add this to the mixing bowl along with oat bran, spices, soy sauce, mustard and peanut butter. Knead together until it holds its shape.
• Unfold the first sheet of puff pastry and roll into a 12x12 square. Cut into six rectangles about 6x4.
• Scoop up a handful of the nut loaf mixture and form it into a small rectangular loaf (about 3x1x3/4 inches). Place in the center of a puff pastry. Dip your fingers in the water and lightly wet the top of the loaf.
• Fold the short ends of the pastry over the loaf, then fold up the long edges using some water to seal it shut.
• Place the mini Wellington seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the other 5.
• Bake at 400F for 25 minutes. The crust should be puffed and golden and the inside heated through.
• The Wellingtons can be made ahead and refrigerated until it's time to bake.