The festive season is here and I have a beautiful Vegan meal which is perfect for a Christmas lunch or Dinner. I call it my Meat-Free No Beef Wellington. What I love about this is that it can be made a day or 2 before and refrigerated then baked on Christmas day. I have accompanied this with some pan roasted potatoes and a tangy onion gravy. Not only is this so impressive but equally delicious as well. This is a perfect dish for any celebratory occasion.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Baking time: 30-40 Cooking time: 45 minutes Serves: 3-4
- 1 packet vegan puff pastry (400g) – thawed
- 2 heaped tbsp (30ml) vegan butter/margarine
- ½ (125ml) cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp (15ml) finely chopped garlic
- 400g white mushrooms –cleaned & very finely chopped
- 1 tsp (5ml) salt
- 1 tsp (5ml) chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp (15ml) coriander/cumin powder
- 2 tbsp (30ml) ground vegan parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp (15ml) nutritional yeast
- ¼ (60ml) cup parsley finely chopped
- 1 off 380g Fry’s Meat Free polony thawed
- ½ cup (125ml) soy/almond milk for brushing pastry
This is how:
- Heat butter in a pot. Toss in the onions and sauté until golden brown. Add garlic – cook for a few seconds and then add the mushrooms, salt, chilli chilli flakes & coriander/cumin powder. Give it a good stir; cook down on medium to hot heat for 15 minutes. Once mushrooms are soft and cooked, toss in the vegan parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast and parsley. Give it a good stir. Turn off heat. Allow to cool down. Turn on the oven and preheat at 200C.
- Place a piece of cling film on flat surface. Spoon mushroom onto the cling film about 1 cm thick and to the length of the polony x 10cm wide. Place the polony in the centre of the mushroom spread. Pull up the edges of the cling tightly so that the mushroom covers the polony, at the same twisting the edges of the cling (like a sweet wrapper) Make sure the mushroom covers entire polony – place in a very cold fridge for 10 minutes.
- Now unroll the pastry on a floured surface – cut a 15cm x 24cm piece – place polony in the centre of this piece of pastry – brush the edges of the pastry with milk.
- Take the bigger piece of pastry and cover entire polony. Trim 2 cm of the edges. Use a fork to press down the edges sealing the polony in the pastry. Seal the both ends of the pastry as well. Use the blunt end of a knife and delicately score the top of pastry diagonally – careful not to cut all the way through.
- Brush with plant milk and bake at 200C for 30-40 minutes until pastry is cooked. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. (it tends to slice better, when a bit cooler)
Roast Potatoes
- 16 baby potatoes peeled and boil until tender
- 2 tbsp (30ml) vegan butter
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) yellow asafoetida
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) turmeric powder
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) mix herbs
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) salt
Let’s roast these potatoes:
Once the potatoes are boiled and are soft but firm. Heat butter in a sauce pan. Toss in asafoetida and turmeric, give the pan a swirl. Now add potatoes, mixed herbs and salt. Toss or stir on medium to hot heat for 5 – 8 minutes.
Onion Gravy
- 2 knobs of vegan Butter/Margarine
- 2 small onions finely sliced
- 1 tbsp (15ml) finely chopped garlic
- ¼ tsp crushed black pepper corns
- 2 tbsp (30ml) (all purpose flour)
- 1 ½ cup 375ml) water
- ½ tsp (2.5ml) Salt (adjust accordingly)
- 1 tsp (5ml) balsamic vinegar (add more if you like)
This is how:
Heat butter in a sauce pan. Add onions and garlic – cook on medium to hot heat until nice and brown.
Spoon in the flour – sauté for 2 minutes. Add water a little at a time, whilst stirring – once gravy starts to thicken – cook for 10 minutes. Turn off heat. (You may add more water for a thinner consistency). Allow to cool before blitzing in a blender to form nice thick gravy. Add the balsamic vinegar; give it a stir and you good to go….yummy!