Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt has shared a delicious recipe for our Christmas lunch, which is perfect for vegetarians or vegans looking for a meat alternative or as a delicious side dish for veggie lovers.
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"Chestnut Mushroom Wellington is a real crowd-pleaser and looks really impressive as part of a Christmas Day feast," says Matt.
"For many people, Christmas will always involve a turkey and all the trimmings but it doesn’t mean that those trimmings can't include mushroom dishes and other great tasting veggies. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t place more emphasis on delicious, home-grown vegetables as a food hero to our festive dishes, rather than just as a side dish.
"With their unique texture and umami flavour, mushrooms are a nutritious, versatile and sustainable choice to incorporate into festive cooking."
Matt Tebbutt's Chestnut Mushroom Wellington with Closed Cup Mushroom Gravy
INGREDIENTS
For the Wellington:
- 50g unsalted butter
- 4 shallots
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 6 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stalks
- 500g spinach
- 600g mix of British Chestnut mushrooms and British Closed Cup mushrooms
- Fresh tarragon leaves, removed from stalks and finely chopped
- 200g spinach Leaves
- 1 egg
- Pre bought puff pastry sheet, 500g
- Plain flour, for dusting
For the Gravy:
- Knob of butter
- 2 Shallots
- 1 garlic clove
- 350g British Closed cup Mushrooms
- 2 tbsp flour
- 500ml beef or mushroom stock
- Salt and pepper
The mushroom Wellington
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INSTRUCTIONS
For the Wellington:
- Melt the butter in a large pan over a moderate heat
- Add shallots and garlic and cook gently until softened
- Add the thyme and stir
- Add the chopped mushrooms, cook until there is little moisture remaining and they are golden
- Add tarragon leaves and stir
- Season with salt and freshly ground pepper
- Leave the mixture to cool
- Heat a little oil in a pan and cook the spinach until wilted
- Squeeze out as much liquid as possible
- Set aside
- When the mushroom mixture is cool, add the spinach and generously season
To make the Wellington:
- Roll the sheet of puff pastry out onto a sheet of baking paper, measuring 25cm x 30cm, lighted dusted with a little flour
- Fill the mushroom mixture in a log shape at the bottom of your sheet, leaving 2cm at each side
- Roll the pastry around the mushroom mixture
- Pinch the Wellington closed to seal and trim any excess pastry
- Use a fork to gently score the pastry and brush all sides with the whisked egg
- Place in the fridge for 1 hour
For the mushroom gravy:
- Melt butter in a pan over a medium heat
- Fry the onions until they are softened
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 8 minutes until golden and liquid has evaporated, remove and set aside In the same pan, melt the butter, then add the flour
- Stir to combine and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously
- Add broth and salt and pepper and simmer on low until gravy has thickened
- Add the closed cup mushrooms.
To cook the wellington:
- Preheat the oven to 200C
- Place the Wellington, along with the baking paper underneath, onto a large baking tray
- Bake for 25 minutes before leaving to rest for 10 minutes
- Serve with mushroom gravy
The UK and Ireland Mushrooms Producers have partnered with Matt Tebbutt to encourage the nation to be more sustainable during the Christmas period and inspire the nation to cook flavourful food that highlights the versatility of mushrooms in recipes. For more information on sustainability and recipe inspiration, head to @mushroom.miles on Instagram.
