Vegetarian Wellington

How fancy of me!

I had an event at work at this big fancy hotel. For lunch they served steak and mahi mahi. I wasn't really in the mood for a huge steak at lunch time so I got the vegetarian dish, which happened to be a vegetarian wellington and wow... it was amazing. Their version reminded me too much of a veggie calzone, but I researched recipes on this and came up with one that is pretty darn good. I'm excited to make it again so I can improve it!

I loved the wellington part (I actually bought fresh spinach from the farmers market the first time I made it... It was WAY too strong so the second time I omitted the spinach all together). The sauce part for this recipe wasn't the greatest to me. I followed the recipe to a T, which is very hard for me to do, but I didn't really like it. It was too lemony. I think a plain cream sauce would have been better. The second time I made it, I added squash to the wellington and didn't use cream sauce at all. It was delicious.

Vegetarian Wellington
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Sheet Frozen Puff Pastry (that's right, I used crescent rolls... not messing with puff pastry)
• 1 large package of frozen spinach (or equivent fresh)
• 1 Red Pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 egg
• 2 TBS butter
• dash of cyennne pepper to taste
• 1/2 TEAS Garlic Salt
• Pepper to taste
• Optional 1/4 cup roasted chopped hazelnuts
• For Sauce
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 3 TBS Fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Thaw puff pastry according to directions or about 20 minutes at room tempurature. Roll sheet out to increase in size by about 1/3. (or roll out crescent rolls, cause they are awesome)

Saute mushrooms in butter over medium heat until lightly cooked and butter absorbed. In medium sized place thawed and throughly drained spinnach. Add chopped peppers, onions, carrot, parsley, mushrooms, egg and seasonings and mix with hands or spoon.

Mound mixture on rectangle of puff pastry and fold long end over then sides and remaining long end to make a rectangle loaf. Make sure mixture is sealed well inside. Place on ungreased cooking sheet, edge sides down.  Make small vent holes in top and back for 25 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

While baking - Make Sauce.  Combine shallots, wine and lemon juice in saucepan. Reduce over medium-high heat until mixture is reduced by half. Add cream and boil gently about 3 minutes until thickened. Remove and set aside. When ready to serve whisk sauce over medium heat to heat through. Add butter a few pieces at a time and whisk until just melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste

To Serve: Plate small amount of sauce and slice loaf in 1 inch slices and top with roasted hazelnuts. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Falafel!

Okay so I haven't been cooking very much lately, but I did come across some photos that I had never used so, time to catch up.

I remember this falafel dish being amazing. I've made it twice and I feel like the more I make it, the better it will get. It's sort of like a meat loaf, only using chick peas instead of meat. Kind of different to work with. It just feels so healthy and very very flavorful!

I highly recommend this dish. It's great served with a side salad, and on some baked pita of course (Nick bought Olive Pita... yum!)

Enjoy!!

Falafel

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley (I used about a Tbs. of dried)

1 TBS. oregano

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 egg

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

1 dash pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup dry bread crumbs

oil for frying (You can either fry or bake... I chose to bake)

1 (6 ounce) container plain yogurt

1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl mash chickpeas until thick and pasty; don't use a blender, as the consistency will be too thin. In a blender, process onion, parsley and garlic until smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas.

In a small bowl combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder. Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is not sticky but will hold together; add more or less bread crumbs, as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten into patties.

If you choose to fry, Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides.

If you choose to bake, Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Heat a little olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the patties in the skillet; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, and pepper. Chill for at least 30 minutes.