Butternut Squash Wellingtons
24
- Prep Time30 mins
- Total Time2 hrs
- Makes6 servings
(Photo: Erik Putz; Food styling by Ashley Denton; Prop styling by Christine Hanlon)
Flakey, tender and hearty, this take on the classic wellington is the perfect centre piece dish for your vegetarian Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
2/3 cup wild rice
2 small butternut squashes, with necks 4-in. long and 3-in. wide
3 garlic cloves
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1/2 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 227-g pkg cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped sage
1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 450-g pkg pre-rolled puff pastry, (2 sheets) thawed in refrigerator overnight (see Kitchen tip)
1 egg yolk, beaten
Instructions
Cook wild rice following package directions.
Meanwhile, make several large slits through squash skin with the tip of a sharp knife. (This will help release air as squashes heat up, and prevent them from bursting.) Microwave squashes on high until skins soften, about 5 min. Set hot squashes aside until cool enough to handle, 1 to 2 min. Cut off bulbs and save for another use. Peel squash necks, then cut in half lengthwise. Set aside.
Pulse garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add celery and onion. Pulse until chopped into ¼-in. pieces. Scrape into a medium bowl. Add mushrooms to food processor. Pulse until chopped into ¼-in. pieces. Transfer to same bowl.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add oil, then vegetable mixture and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very dry and beginning to brown, about 9 to 11 min.
Drain rice. Stir rice, sage and thyme into vegetable mixture. Season with pepper. Transfer to same medium bowl and let cool completely, about 30 min.
Position rack in centre of oven, then preheat to 400F. Cut out two pieces of parchment large enough to fit puff pastry sheets. (Some prerolled puff pastry comes with a parchment sheet already attached. Use this if you have it.)
Unroll both puff pastry sheets, one on each parchment. Divide cooled rice mixture onto bottom halves of pastry. Form vegetable mixture on bottom half of each pastry into a tightly packed 3×8-in. rectangle, leaving a 1-in. border around edges. Place two squash halves flatside down, with tapered ends facing out, over rice mixture on each pastry. (Trim squash if needed so that there is still a 1-in. border of pastry for sealing.) If any vegetable mixture squeezes out, press it back under squash.
Fold top half of pastry over squash, stretching gently to cover. Press edges together to close, then press with tines of a fork to seal. Trim and straighten edges with a paring knife. Cut out shapes from an extra sheet of puff pastry and arrange on Wellingtons, if desired. Brush beaten egg yolk over Wellingtons. Transfer parchments to a large baking sheet, trimming parchment if needed.
Bake until pastry is golden brown, about 40 to 45 min. Transfer Wellingtons to a serving platter. Slice and serve with Easy Cranberry Sauce and Mushroom Gravy.
Kitchen tip
Thaw puff pastry in refrigerator overnight before using. Puff pastry sheets should measure at least 10×10 in. If your puff pastry sheets are smaller, roll them out on a lightly floured surface. Buy an extra package of puff pastry if you’d like to decorate your Wellingtons.
Kitchen tip
You can make the vegetable mixture for the Wellingtons up to 2 days in advance. Refrigerate until it’s time to assemble.
Get rolling
We’re not going to lie, assembling the Wellingtons can be tricky—but all you truly need is a little patience and this step-by-step guide.
Step 1
Form vegetable mixture on bottom half of puff pastry into a tightly packed 3×8-in. rectangle, leaving a 1-in. border around edges.
Step 2
Arrange two squash halves flat-side down, with tapered ends facing out, over rice mixture on each pastry. Trim squash if needed.
Step 3
Fold top half of pastry over squash, stretching gently to cover. Press edges together to close, then press with tines of a fork to seal.