Mushroom & chestnut Wellington

Name: Mushroom & chestnut Wellington
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 260 g packs Essential Spinach, washed; 50 g unsalted butter; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 leeks, thinly sliced; 6 sprig/s thyme, leaves only, chopped, plus a few to decorate (optional); 2 clove/s garlic, crushed; 250 g packs chestnut mushrooms, chopped; 180 g pack Merchant Gourmet Whole Chestnuts, crumbled; 1½ 100g packs No.1 Moody’s Rosary Ash Goat’s Cheese; Plain flour, for rolling; 500 g pack puff pastry block; 1 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Egg yolk; 2 tsp milk

This meat-free marvel will wow all your guests. The filling can be made the day before and chilled overnight, and the leftover goat’s cheese can be added to your cheeseboard later.

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Vegetarian

Serves8
CourseMain meal
Prepare25 mins
Cook45 mins
Total time1 hr 10 mins
Pluscooling and chilling

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2 x 260g packs Essential Spinach, washed
50g unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, thinly sliced
6 sprig/s thyme, leaves only, chopped, plus a few to decorate (optional)
2 clove/s garlic, crushed
2 x 250g packs chestnut mushrooms, chopped
180g pack Merchant Gourmet Whole Chestnuts, crumbled
1½ 100g packs No.1 Moody’s Rosary Ash Goat’s Cheese
Plain flour, for rolling
500g pack puff pastry block
1 British Blacktail Free Range Medium Egg yolk
2 tsp milk

Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the spinach and blanch for 1 minute. Drain, refresh under cold water, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Roughly chop and set aside.
Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan and gently cook the leeks for 5 minutes, until softened and caramelised. Add the thyme and garlic and fry for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and fry for 10-12 minutes more, until softened and any liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat, stir in the chestnuts, tip into a large bowl and leave to cool.
Stir the goat’s cheese and spinach through the cooled mushroom mixture. Lay a large sheet of baking parchment on the work surface and tip the mixture into the middle. Mould into a rough log shape, then roll up tightly in the parchment to make a 26cm-long cylinder. Chill until firm.
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6 and line a baking sheet with parchment. Scatter the work surface with flour and roll the pastry into a 34x28cm rectangle. Lay the cylinder of filling on top and unwrap. Whisk together the egg yolk and milk, then brush along the edges of the pastry. Carefully roll the filling in the pastry, finishing with the join on the underside.
Press the ends together and trim, then seal and crimp with your fingertips or a fork. Cut any pastry trimmings into festive leaves and use to decorate the Wellington, using a little of the egg wash to stick them on. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with the remaining egg wash, then use a sharp knife to make 2 holes in the top for the steam to escape. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the filling is piping hot. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then serve, scattered with fresh thyme sprigs, if liked.