This tasty recipe has been sent through by Chef Tina, she went vegan over a year ago and loves experimenting and perfecting her recipes. Looking forward to going to visit Chef Tina to try out some of her latest tantalising dishes! Some history of the Wellington. It is generally agreed that the meat dish was created in celebration of the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18 1815. The Duke was given his title after defeating Napoleon Bonaparte the year before, and not long after he became Prime Minister. Such an iconic character needed immortalising, so (naturally) they named this dish after him.
Making this vegetarian and Vegan is simple just wrapping veg in pastry has been a favoured culinary technique in many countries for many centuries- The Greeks were the first to wrap a flour and water paste around a filling to seal it before cooking, and the Cornish Pasty (the stalwart of miners’ lunchboxes) has been around since the 14thCentury.
Some of the most popular theories for why the dish was named the Wellington, after the Duke of Wellington are:
1) Arthur Wellesley wasn’t fussed about what he ate and let his chef create whatever he liked – his chef liked creating Wellingtons.
2) The finished dish looks a bit like a Wellington Boot, hence the name.
3) The dish is French but was re-named during the wars with France.
Ingredients
- 1 packet of ready made and rolled vegan puff pastry
- Or you can make it yourself
- (250/300g) of plain flour and salted butter
- Filling
- 1 aubergine
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 2 sweet peppers
- 2 small courgettes
- 2 tsp Sea salt,
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs
- Pinch Chili flakes
- Extra virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Slices of bread
- 1 Cup Vegan cheese
- 2 Tbsp of Oat Milk (For brushing)
Instructions
For the vegan/ vegetarian pastry plait:
- 1 packet of ready made and rolled puff pastry/
- Or you can make your own rough puff pastry with equal quantities (250/300g) of plain flour and salted butter, roughly rubbed to make a chunky mixture and then brought as a firm dough with cold water as needed.
- You then need to rest for 20 minute, then roll it, fold it several times whilst resisting for intervals to create layers.
Filling:
- Chopped a mixture of veg into 1cm cubes. it was an autumn dish but you can change the veg as you like.
- Season with sea salt, black pepper, dried mixed herbs, a pinch of chilli flakes and a drizzle of olive oil and roast until tender and crisped on the edges (about 20-25 mins in a preheated oven at 190). Once ready, leave to cool completely.
- Whilst it’s cooling blitz up 4 slices of bread (I used half and half)for extra flavour, texture and binding the mixture.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Grate 1 cup of cheese -Red Leicester if using dairy or a vegan equivalent if making it vegan.
Making the wellington
- Prep your pastry by unrolling, putting it in baking paper and placing on a large baking tray.
- Mix the cooled roast veg, breadcrumbs and cheese and spoon in the middle of the pastry - check which way gives you the longest plait , vertically or horizontally and then add the mixture along the middle like a saugsage.
- Then on either side of the filling with a sharp knife cut 1cm wide strips at an angle pointing downwards.
- Then carefully lift a strip at a time and cross it over the filling alternating each side to create a plait effect, tucking the ends in when finished.
- Brush with milk (I used a plant based one such as Oat milk),
- Bake until golden which will take about 25-30 mins .
Slice and enjoy with a salad and some dressed boiled new potatoes.
