Featured Recipe
Mushroom Buckwheat Wellington
By Kate
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Vegetarian Wellington based on mushrooms and buckwheat, wrapped in homemade semi-puff pastry. Includes Swiss chard leaves, sautéed shallots and garlic, with morille mushroom sauce. Panko breadcrumbs add texture. Wine and broth reduction for depth. Baking involves chilling dough and fillings. Assembly includes rolling stuffing in chard, encasing in pastry, applying egg wash, and baking until golden. Sauce with rehydrated morilles thickened with toasted flour. Serves six to eight with optional green salad.
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Prep:
70 min
Cook:
45 min
Total:
115 min
Serves:
6-8 servings
vegetarian
French-inspired
comfort food
main course
holiday
Introduction
Mushrooms and buckwheat. Textured, earthy filling with a hint of thyme. Swiss chard leaves wrap the center. Hand-rolled semi-puff pastry encloses the log of stuffing, egg brushed, scored. Baking until golden, crisp. Sauce from rehydrated morel mushrooms thickened with toasted flour, simmered with wine and mushroom broth. Takes time. Chilling dough and filling important. Balance moisture and texture. Burgundy or dry white wine. Starter for the cook who likes textures, layers. The kind of meal to slice in thick wedges, sauce on plate. Salad leaves waiting to be dressed simply.
Ingredients
Filling
- 315 g white mushrooms, finely chopped
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 sprigs thyme optional
- 70 g rinsed white buckwheat grains
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 500 ml mushroom broth
- 15 g panko breadcrumbs
- 15 ml chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2-4 large Swiss chard leaves, stems diced small
- 110 g all-purpose flour
- 0.75 ml salt
- 90 g chilled unsalted butter thinly sliced
- 60 ml ice water
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 8 g dried morel mushrooms
- 300 ml hot water
- 2 thyme sprigs optional
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 45 ml dry white wine
- 300 ml mushroom broth
- 20 ml pale roasted flour
Pastry
Egg Wash
Sauce
About the ingredients
Chop mushrooms finely so moisture evaporates efficiently, browns easily. Buckwheat rinsed to remove dust. Use dry white wine, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. Swiss chard should be fresh. Blanch leaves and stems separately for tenderness and color preservation; chill immediately to stop cooking. Panko breadcrumbs add crunch and soak up juices. Butter chilled and sliced for proper dough lamination. Ice water cold to ensure dough doesn’t melt. Egg wash for deep shiny crust and sealing. Morel mushrooms are expensive but deliver earthy depth, soak carefully to avoid grit. Roasted flour thickens sauce without pastey taste. Season gradually. Adjust salt and pepper last. Refrigerate dough and filling to firm up layers and meld flavors.
Method
Filling preparation
- Pulse mushrooms in food processor until finely chopped.
- Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms 9-11 minutes until liquid evaporated and lightly browned. Add more butter if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add shallots, garlic, thyme. Cook 2 minutes stirring.
- Add buckwheat, stir to combine. Deglaze with wine. Let reduce nearly dry.
- Add broth, bring to boil. Simmer 18-22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broth absorbed and buckwheat tender.
- Remove thyme sprigs and discard. Adjust seasoning.
- Transfer mixture to bowl. Stir in panko and parsley. Cool 15 minutes then cover and refrigerate 55 minutes.
- Blanch Swiss chard leaves in salted boiling water 1 minute. Remove with tongs, plunge into cold water. Repeat with stems 1 minute. Drain well, pat dry, refrigerate covered.
- Mix flour and salt in bowl. Rub in butter with fingertips, leaving pea sized pieces.
- Add ice water gradually. Stir lightly until dough just humidity is even with visible butter bits remaining. Soft and tacky.
- Roll dough on floured surface to 25x15 cm rectangle. Brush off excess flour. Fold into thirds on width. Fold in half opposite direction forming square.
- Wrap plastic, chill 55-65 minutes until firm.
- Lay out plastic wrap on work surface. Arrange chard leaves overlapping to create 33x20 cm rectangle. Trim leaves if needed.
- Spread filling onto chard, forming 28x18 cm rectangle. Scatter diced chard stems over center.
- Roll tightly from long end using plastic wrap to shape 28 cm log. Press firmly.
- Roll chilled dough into 33x20 cm rectangle on floured board. Remove plastic from filling log.
- Place filling log seam side up in center of dough.
- Brush dough edges with egg wash. Fold dough over log to enclose completely. Seal ends well.
- Place Wellington seam side down on baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment. Brush top with egg wash. Chill 55-65 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 215°C placing rack in middle.
- Brush Wellington again with egg wash. Score shallow slits evenly across top without cutting through dough.
- Bake 38-42 minutes until pastry is deeply golden.
- Soak morels in hot water 18-22 minutes. Remove mushrooms with slotted spoon reserving soaking liquid.
- Sauté chopped shallots with thyme in butter over medium heat 4-6 minutes. Salt and pepper.
- Add morels, cook 1 minute. Deglaze with wine. Reduce nearly dry.
- Add soaking liquid, broth, and roasted flour whisked together.
- Bring to boil whisking constantly. Simmer, stirring, until sauce reduces to about 500 ml (2 cups). Remove thyme. Season to taste.
- Serve Wellington sliced with sauce poured over or on side. Salad optional.
Pastry dough
Assembly
Sauce
Technique Tips
Pulse mushrooms instead of chopping by hand for uniformity but avoid pureeing. Cook mushroom mixture until liquid evaporated fully to avoid soggy pastry and for caramelization. Stir often but allow time to brown. Deglaze with wine before broth, reduce properly to intensify flavor. Chill filling to firm it and meld flavors. Swiss chard leaves act as a barrier and flavor layer; blanch quickly not to turn limp. For pastry, rub butter into flour leaving bits visible for a semi-laminated texture not full puff. Fold dough and chill to rest and layer but keep ragged for rustic result. Roll filling in chard tightly to maintain shape. Egg wash seals and creates skin to avoid grease leaks. Chill assembled Wellington to solidify butter before baking; dulls dough slipping. Scoring dough vents steam, prevents bursting. Keep sauce whisked to smooth, reduce sauce to coating consistency. Skip thyme or substitute rosemary if preferred but remove sprigs before serving. Serve hot, slice carefully.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Careful with mushrooms. Chop finely. Small sizes ensure moisture escapes during cooking. Remember to sauté until full moisture evaporates. Browning adds flavor. Always keep a close eye on them, or they’ll stick.
- 💡 Buckwheat rinsing is important, dust removal helps. Use dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc. It adds depth. Wine reduces down; this intensifies flavor. Chill filling to combine textures, both firm and fresh.
- 💡 Swiss chard needs fast blanching, no limp leaves. Otherwise, flavor and texture decline quickly. Stems cooked separately, then cooled in ice water. Preserve color and crunch, then drain. Timing is crucial.
- 💡 Pastry needs care too. Important to rub butter in but keep it uneven. Visible butter for that flaky texture. Roll generously, then fold to layer. Chilling keeps it firm but avoid overdoing it.
- 💡 Egg wash critical for sealing. Keeps moisture inside. Apply thick, get that shine on top. Sometimes scoring is necessary for steam escape. Just not too deep, avoid cutting the dough through. Bake until golden.
Kitchen Wisdom
Can I use different mushrooms?
Yes, suitable alternatives are cremini or shiitake. Both have distinct flavors. Adjust cooking times if necessary. Some may release more moisture.
What if I can’t find Swiss chard?
Spinach can work instead, though texture changes. Then consider kale, tougher but adds a new taste. Blanch similarly for best results.
How to store leftover Wellington?
Wrap tightly in plastic or aluminum foil. Refrigerate. Consume within three days for best taste. Reheat in oven to retain pastry crispness.
Can I freeze the Wellington?
Absolutely, wrap tightly pre-baking. Freezing extends storage for a month. Thaw in fridge overnight before baking. Reheat properly for best texture.
