Vegetarian Mushroom Wellington
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • For the mushroom filling:
  • 4 large Portobello mushrooms, each about 3 inches wide (8 to 10 ounces total), wiped clean with a damp paper towel
  • Unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 ½ pounds whatever mushrooms you like, wiped clean with a damp paper towel (or to save time you can buy pre-cleaned and sliced mushrooms)
  • 4 large shallots, finely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 Tablespoons shoyu, tamari or coconut aminos
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 9 ounces pre-cooked lentils, about 2 cups
  • For assembling:
  • All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1 (14-ounce) package puff pastry, preferably a rectangular piece (vegan or gluten-free, if necessary)
  • 1 large egg, beaten (see notes for vegan egg wash)
Instructions
  1. Remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms, wipe clean and set aside with the mushroom mix you will be using in the next step. Scrape out the gills with a spoon and discard. Slice off the excess mushroom rim that curls over the gills and set aside with the mushroom stems. (You are making sure the stem side has a flat surface so it will sear properly.) Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high and cook the mushrooms, gill-side down, until caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook until softened, about 4 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, gill-side down, to cool.
  2. Prepare the mushroom filling: Roughly chop the mixed mushrooms, reserved portobello stems and rim ends. I do this in the food processor in batches. You want them chopped, not minced. You can also chop the shallots and garlic in the food processor after you’re done with the mushrooms. You can use the same skillet you used earlier, just give it a quick wipe clean. Working in two batches, warm a few Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add about half the mushrooms, shallots and garlic, and season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. When the second batch is tender, add the herbs and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add the soy sauce and tomato paste to the skillet with the mushrooms and cook over medium-high, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, until the liquid evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture back to the medium bowl and stir in the cooked lentils. At this point, you want to allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step. If you’re in a pinch, you can spread the mushroom mixture evenly on a half sheet pan and refrigerate until cool.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with unbleached parchment paper. Place the piece of parchment paper on the counter and lightly dust it with flour. Unfold your thawed puff pastry and set it on the parchment. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out into a 13 x 16-inch rectangle (about the size of a half sheet pan, which measures 13 x 18 inches). Transfer the parchment paper and puff pastry to the sheet pan. Position the sheet pan so that one of the 16-inch sides is closest to you. Arrange half the cooked mushroom mixture in a crosswise strip going down the center of the puff pastry (it should be about 4 x 10 inches), leaving a 1½-inch border at the ends. Lay the portobello mushrooms on top of the mixed mushroom mixture, stem-side down. (If the portobellos are too large to all fit in a row, square off the edges so the cut sides lay snugly without overlapping). Spoon the remaining mushroom mixture on top of the filling, covering the portobello mushrooms, then gently pack the mushroom mixture to form an even layer on top. (You can shape this the same way you might shape a freeform meatloaf.)
  5. To assemble, lift one side of the puff pastry over the mushroom filling to almost completely cover it. Brush the surface of the puff pastry covering the mushrooms with the beaten egg. Lift the remaining puff pastry flap over the egg-washed puff pastry, gently stretching it if need be to create a second layer of puff pastry on top, then gently press the top layer of pastry onto the lower layer using your fingertips to seal. Brush the insides of the short ends of the puff pastry and press to seal.
  6. Brush the exposed puff pastry on top with the remaining beaten egg. Decorate the top of the puff pastry as you like: Create a cross-hatch pattern by gently slicing through only the top layer of puff pastry in parallel lines, then cutting parallel lines in another direction. (Apply very little pressure, as you only want to cut through the top layer of puff pastry, not the second layer.) You can also slice small decorative vents in the puff pastry (be sure to slice all the way through both layers of puff pastry), or top with additional strips or shapes made from egg-washed puff pastry.
  7. Transfer to the middle rack in the oven and bake until puff pastry is deep golden and flaky, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, about 10 minutes.
  8. To serve the mushroom Wellington, cut it crosswise into 8 even slabs. (Each slab will include a pretty cross-section showcasing the halved portobello mushroom in the center; this is considered the presentation side.) Serve each piece presentation-side up.
Notes
Vegan egg wash: whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
1 Tablespoon aquafaba (liquid in a can of chickpeas)
1 Tablespoon plain, unsweetened almond or cashew milk
1 Tablespoon neutral flavored oil such as olive oil or avocado oil
½ teaspoon pure maple syrup or brown rice syrup
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/vegetarian-mushroom-wellington-recipe/