Portobello Mushroom Wellington

It's been quiet around this place lately, but hopefully that will change soon. I've been cooking, but mostly old favorites that have already been documented. Today I am going to share a festive delight I made for Christmas dinner. Many years back, I tried my first nut roast, not knowing what to expect. It turned out even better than expected and since then, I have tired a few different ways to make nut roast.

This version incorporates a variety of nuts, quinoa for extra texture and nutrition, a good selection of herbs, and succulent portobello mushrooms. The mixture is then loving wrapped in puff pastry and baked in the oven. The kitchen smelled heavenly and the loaf was not only full of protein, but quite filling and satisfying. To complete the feast I served some oven roasted vegetables. For dessert, a homemade chocolate and hazelnut avocado pudding. Next time you are planning a special meal, I urge you to try this — it won't fail to impress your guests.

Portobello Mushroom Wellington

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on February 21, 2018 A sumptuous vegetarian puff pastry Wellington stuffed with quinoa, nuts, herbs and portobello mushrooms — perfect for family holiday meals Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 5 to 10 minutes Print this recipe Mushrooms: 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper Nut roast filling: 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground black pepper 1 cup dry white wine 1/2 tablespoon coconut or brown sugar 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, drained and chopped 1/2 cup roasted chestnuts 1/2 cup unsalted raw cashews 1/2 cup pecans 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa 1/2 cup vegetable stock Wellington case: two large sheets of puff pastry 1/2 cup almond milk Instructions: Start with the mushrooms by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper, remove from heat, and set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the rosemary, salt and pepper, and continue cooking for another few minutes. Raise the heat slightly, pour in the wine, and cook it down. Add the sugar and cook until it caramelizes. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Whiz together the sun-dried tomatoes, nuts and quinoa until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add this to the bowl with the onion and gradually add the vegetable stock. Mix well until the mixture clumps. Lay out a sheet of puff pastry onto a baking tray. Add a 1-cm (about 1/2-inch) layer of the nut roast filling mixture onto the pastry dough and shape the mixture into a log-like shape. Place the cooked mushrooms over the filling and spoon the remaining nut roast filling mixture over top. Gently layer the other sheet of pastry over top, pushing over top of the nut filling and mushrooms, and pressing down gently. Trim off any excess edges of the pasty with a sharp knife. Seal the edges with a fork and use the fork to poke small holes in into the loaf. Brush the pastry with almond milk. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 40 minutes or until lightly browned and baked throughout. To serve, cut the loaf into thick slices using a bread knife. Enjoy hot with any toppings you may desire and a healthy dose of steamed or roasted vegetables to complete the meal. Makes about 12 servings or enough to feed 6 diners

Other nut roasts to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Spicy Lentil Quinoa Nut Loaf
Mushroom Nut Roast in Puff Pastry
Quinoa Loaf

On the top of the reading stack: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson