The mushrooms in this are a great alternative to meat and make a substantial and delicious supper dish for a cold winter night.
This serves 2, but you could easily double this to feed 4 people. I would serve this with a side salad, but the addition of sweet potato fries would be good too!
Ingredients:
5 field mushrooms – stalks removed and one of them chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1.5tbs olive oil
1tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small bunch of thyme – leaves removed and roughly chopped
Small bunch of Cavolo Nero – tough ribs removed and roughly chopped
100g mature blue Stilton cheese, crumbled
1 pack of puff pastry
1 egg beaten with a little milk to make a wash
Method:
Heat oven to 220°C/425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick liner
Heat 1tbs of the oil in a large pan and fry 4 of the mushrooms for around 4 mins on each side until golden and cooked through. Set aside on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil and moisture.
Place the pan back on the heat and add the rest of the oil. Add the chopped mushroom, onion, thyme, salt and pepper. Fry until the onion is soft and translucent. Then add the kale and continue to cook until wilted, before setting aside to cool.
On a lightly floured board, roll out the puff pastry until it is a little under half a centimetre thick.
Using a large cookie cutter or a small bowl; cut out two circles that are 2cm wider than the mushrooms. These will be the bases. Then cut another two circles about 8cm wider for the tops. You need the tops to be big enough to cover the mushrooms without stretching, so go bigger if your mushrooms are on the large size.
Place the two base circles on the baking sheet and add a quarter of the vegetable mixture, taking care not to spread it wider than the mushrooms.
Place a mushroom, cap down and top with half of the cheese. Place another mushroom cap side up and add another quarter of the vegetable mixture.
Brush the pastry base border around each mushroom with egg and then layer the top circle of party over the filling, like a large ravioli.
Use your hand to gently smooth the pasty over the mushrooms and make sure you have not trapped any air in the parcel. Just take care not to stretch the pastry, as it can shrink in the oven and open up.
Seal the edges together using a fork.
Trim any untidy edges – I used a small bowl over the parcels and cut around the edge.
Brush each wellington with egg and bake for 30-40 mins until golden brown and puffed.
Serve with a green salad and sweet potato fries for a delicious vegetarian dinner.
Spinach makes a good alternative to the kale and feel free to up the cheese content for an extra indulgent treat.