This is a vegetarian centrepiece that will work for any major feast-style meal such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year or Easter. A versatile and spectacular dish that will wow carnivores as well as vegetarians.
Prep time 60 minutes/Cook time 80 minutes/Serves 8
Ingredients:
500g (1 lb) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
2 tbsp olive oil
small bunch of fresh sage, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
500g (1 lb) closed cup mushrooms, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
150ml (3/5 cup) double cream
200g (7 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
½ tsp ground mace
150g (1/3 lb) cooked chestnuts, chopped
whole nutmeg, for grating
500g (1 lb) block puff pastry
plain flour, to dust
6-8 cooked beetroot (each should be about the same size [some 400g (14 oz)])
1 egg, beaten, to glaze
1 tbsp sesame seeds or poppy seeds, to decorate
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6). Toss the squash with 1 tbsp oil, half the sage and some seasoning. Turn out onto a baking tray, drizzle over any left-over oil, transfer to your pre-heated oven and roast for 25 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool then scrape out and mash the squash flesh.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and once hot, use to fry the shallots for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the mushrooms and fry for 15 minutes, until they are softened and the liquid has evaporated.
Add the garlic and the remaining sage to the mushrooms, fry for a minute, then add the double cream. Stir and cook until the cream coats the mushrooms and no liquid remains. Fold in the breadcrumbs, mace, chestnuts and the flesh of the roast squash. Season everything well, adding a generous grating of nutmeg. Turn into a bowl and set aside to cool before assembling the Wellington.
Roll the pastry out on a floured work surface to a 35 x 45cm (14 x 18 in) rectangle. Transfer to a large parchment-lined baking tray with one of the long lengths of the pastry facing towards you. Spoon the mushroom and squash mixture down the length of the pastry, leaving a 7cm (3 in) border along the top and 1cm (1/2 in) on both sides. Brush all the exposed pastry with beaten egg.
Arrange the beetroot in a line down the centre of the filling – they should be touching. Fold the filling-covered, long length of the pastry over the beets, using the paper to help you. Roll up and trim the pastry with a knife when it’s overlapping by 1cm (1/2 in).
Place the wellington seal-side down on a greased baking tray and pinch the ends to seal. Egg wash the whole thing and use a fork or blunt cutlery knife to score the pastry in a pretty pattern. Chill until for at least 30 mins, or up to 24 hrs.
In the meantime, pre-heat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6). Brush the Wellington with more beaten egg, sprinkle with the sesame or poppy seeds then transfer to your pre-heated oven and bake for 45-50 mins until golden brown and puffed up. Leave to rest for 10 mins before carving into chunky slices with a sharp knife to serve.
