Beetroot Wellington (Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 2 large purple beetroot
- 2 large golden beetroot
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1 handful spinach
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 egg and a splash of milk for egg wash
- For the Stuffing
- 130g sourdough bread
- 2 eggs
- 50ml vegetable stock
- 25g pistachios
- 55g Lancashire cheese, broken into pieces
- 75g figs, chopped
- Pinch salt
- Cooking liquor for purple beetroot
- 1ltr water
- 150ml white wine vinegar
- 125g honey
- 1tsp chinese 5 spice
- 50ml olive oil
- 1 small shallot, sliced
- 1tsp salt
- 1 large sprig thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
Instructions
A gorgeous way to enjoy seasonal beetroot and a real showstopper main event for your vegetarian festive feast.
Method
Stages 1, 2 and 3 can be done in advance to save time. Cover and store in your fridge until required.
- For the stuffing, create breadcrumbs by placing the sourdough bread in a food processor. Add the pistachios and pulse to break them up. Add the eggs and salt, blend to bring together, add the veg stock gradually to ensure the mix doesn’t get too wet. Remove from the bowl and fold in the cheese and figs taking care to leave chunks of cheese.
- To create the cooking liquor, on a medium heat sweat the sliced shallot in the olive oil in a large saucepan, don’t let it colour. Add the five spice, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and continue to sweat for 1 minute. Add the honey, white wine vinegar and the water and bring to the boil. Add the purple beetroot and cook for 30 minutes or until the beetroot is almost cooked. Allow the liquor to cool with the beetroot in it. For best flavour allow to marinade overnight in the fridge.
- To prepare the golden beetroot, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Wash the golden beetroot and place on a foil lined baking tray with two crushed garlic cloves and a sprig of thyme. Season with salt. Cover with foil to make an envelope. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until the beetroot is softening and almost cooked, then peel it.
- To build and cook the Wellington, preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Lay the sheet of puff pastry out. Spread the stuffing out evenly on the sheet leaving a 2cm border around the edges. Scatter the spinach evenly over the stuffing. Place the beetroot in a line along the sheet and fold the pastry over to cover. Press the pastry together to form a seal. Brush with egg wash. Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is cooked.