Vegetable Wellington

This Vegetable Wellington is my favorite holiday entree, and although it does have a few steps, you can prepare the filling 2-3 days before baking it on the day of your event. It is very beautiful and delicious.

Equipment Needed

1-2 Sauté pans, 1 with a cover

2-Roasting/baking pans with parchment paper or aluminum foil

Pastry brush, rubber spatula, and a strainer

Food Processor

1-2 Bowls

Ingredients

One large onion

1 lb. mixed mushrooms (I use: shiitake, oyster, and crimini)

8oz. baby spinach

1 small butternut squash

1 cup orange lentils

1 cup wild rice

1 14oz. firm tofu

½ cup chopped assorted fresh herbs (I use: sage, thyme, parsley & tarragon)

1 egg

1 box puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm is the most common trusted brand)

Olive oil

Maple syrup

Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-Preparation (2-3 days before baking):

Puff Pastry

At the store, you will find puff pastry in the freezer (most commonly Pepperidge Farms) in a package with two sheets.  Defrost the package and lay the dough on a sheet pan for baking.

Egg Wash

Take one egg and whisk it smooth, set aside with a pastry brush, which you will use when baking.

Onions

Cut the onion into ¼" dice, divide into 2, and set aside. Sauté half of the onions in olive oil until translucent (just done before turning color), set aside.  The remainder will be cooked with mushrooms.

Fresh Herbs

Take one handful of each fresh herb, de-stem them, and chop into a fine mixture; set aside.

Tofu and Butternut Marinade

Make a marinade for the squash and tofu by whisking 4-6 tablespoons of olive oil with 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup, then adding some chopped fresh herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.

Preparing Tofu

Take the tofu "firm" from the container and slice it into 6 pieces. Place slices on paper towels or a cloth towel, cover with additional towels, and place a weight on them (like a plate). Let drain and dry for 20 minutes.  Rub the tofu generously with the marinade, place the slices on an oiled baking pan, season with salt and pepper, bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, remove from the oven, and let cool. Once cooled, you will dice it into ¼" dice and set aside.

Preparing Butternut Squash

Peel a small butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut into 1-inch evenly sized slices. Rub with some of the marinade mentioned above and bake at 375°F for 30-45 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, as you want the pieces to hold their shape when you cut them into ¼-inch dice. At the 30-minute mark, test for doneness with a knife. If the knife slides in easily, remove the squash from the oven and let it cool. It should be firm but not soft, and if you feel it is overcooked, take it out immediately and let it cool. Once cooled, cut into ¼-inch dice, knowing that quantities may vary, so there could be some extra.

Preparing the Orange Lentils

Place 1 cup of lentils in 4 cups of water with a bit of salt, bring to a boil, simmer for 10-15 minutes, and check for doneness.   You are looking for a product that has not lost its shape and is referred to as al dente (to the tooth), strain and put on a baking sheet to cool.

Preparing the Wild Rice

Place 1 cup of wild rice in 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover, cook for 30 minutes, then check to make sure there is still sufficient water in the pot. You can tell it's done when the grains start to expand, puff up, and open.  Once done, strain and set aside to cool.

Preparing Mushrooms

Remove stems from assorted mushrooms and cut ½ of them into ¼" dice and set aside.  The remainder you can "rough" chop for making the puree later, set aside.

Next, sauté the ¼" diced mushrooms for 2-3 minutes in olive oil, season and cook until just done, you do not want them to lose their shape, set aside to cool.

Next, in a covered pan, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the remaining onions and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the onions begin to change color. Then add the rough-cut mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, then add 1 cup of vegetable stock or water to help the cooking. Bring to a simmer and cover. Regularly check that there is enough liquid, and add another ½-1 cup if it seems too dry. After 5-10 minutes, remove the lid to allow excess liquid to evaporate. Ideally, the mixture should be reasonably dry, but be careful not to burn it once it's on the dry side and deeply colored. Let it cool, then process in the food processor until pureed, and set aside.

Preparing the Spinach

Quickly sauté the spinach in a pot or pan, season, turn off the heat, and cover until the spinach is finished. The goal when sautéing greens (especially spinach) is to heat them enough so they steam but not so long that all the water evaporates. Once done, place in a strainer, let the liquid drain, and when cool, put in a towel and squeeze out the excess water. When dry, transfer to a food processor and chop finely, then set aside.

Finishing the Wellington for Baking:

This is not an exact science; you might have more of one item than you think you need (mainly rice and beans), so use your judgment when making the final mixture, and make sure to check the seasoning. You want the mixture to be moist but not too wet. When you bake the Wellington, you are not cooking the mixture; you are baking the pastry dough to a golden brown. It can be prepared earlier in the day and reheated, but DO NOT bake and refrigerate; it will become tough.

Combine the cooked onions, mushrooms, spinach, lentils, wild rice, butternut squash, herbs, and tofu. At this point, add the mushroom and onion puree, making sure the mixture isn't too wet. If it is too wet, you can place it in a towel to dry out or drain it slightly. The finished product should be moist but not runny.

Have the egg wash and puff pastry sheets at room temperature. They come with two sheets in the box, each measuring 10" x 15". I would use both sheets, cutting each in half to end up with four pieces measuring 10" x 7.5".  

Place the cut piece of puff pastry dough on a cutting board or a piece of parchment paper. Put enough of the mixture in the middle of the dough on the 10-inch side, leaving about 1 inch of space at each edge so you can seal them. Roll the Wellington into a log and use the egg wash to seal the 10-inch side; then fold the outer ends in, egg wash, and seal the sides. Place the four finished Wellingtons on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, brush with egg wash, and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 30-45 minutes. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning.

Let cool, store in a warm place, and when ready to serve, reheat and then slice with a bread knife.