Mushroom Walnut Wellington - A Thanksgiving Recipe

Mushrooms are hearty, versatile, and good for you. I use them in a lot of different ways and I lot of different recipes as additions or as a part of the main event. The woodsy, hearty elements make them ideal for Thanksgiving dishes & I use them liberally as a part of my Thanksgiving tradition. I was first introduced to vegetable Wellingtons as a vegetarian option at a wedding. Over the years, I have adapted, experimented, and looked at recipes online to see other people's versions to get to the approximate recipe I now use. I typically make this in individual servings ahead of time and freeze. The first few years I made these, it was a Thanksgiving dish I shared with my grandfather, not a vegetarian, but after kidney failure from heart medication was on a renal diet that limited his intake of meat and green vegetables. I adapted to his needs and limitations.

I love this recipe because with a little prep it is hearty, yummy, and gives me something special to the Thanksgiving table. It also freezes easy and can be made a few days ahead to cut down on Thanksgiving prep day.

Mushroom-Walnut Wellington

• Mushroom selection - roughly chopped with some minced - I use a Portabellas or Baby Bellas, often mixed with white button mushrooms
• Walnuts
• Onion, diced or chopped
• Garlic, minced
• Choice of vegetable selection: green onions, spinach (fresh or frozen), carrots, celery, potatoes, or sweet potatoes, etc
• Parmesan cheese or Nutritional Yeast
• Fine breadcrumbs
• Sauteing medium - butter, vegan margarine, olive oil, vegetable broth, white wine, or any combination
• Fresh or dried herbs to taste (any combination); such as sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley (I prefer the fresh, but use what you have available)
• seasonings - salt, pepper, other to taste
• Puffed pastry - homemade or store bought (depends on preferences, time, & whats available in your areas) (if using frozen puffed pastry sheets, thaw before hand)

I start by leaving majority of mushrooms rough chopped (halves or quarters or whole). I want the "meatiness," to bite into something substantial. (If you know anything about beef wellington the center is beef with liver pate and mushroom duxelle wrapped in puffed pastry.) 

I create the mixture that will embrace the large pieces of mushrooms by mincing, chopping, and dicing the vegetables for the mixture. I typically use the food chopper for this to mince, then saute in batches until everything is softened.(I prefer part of onion mix, especially the white button mushrooms, walnut pieces chopped, onion minced, & spinach.) I add the sauteed mixture with fine breadcrumbs, fresh or dried herbs (I mince a poultry blend), seasonings, Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, and any other moisture or fat desired - mix to taste to achieve a sticky mixture.

The moist mixture can be added to chopped or whole mushrooms or formed around whole portabella mushrooms inside the puffed pastry. I fill pieces of puffed pastry, cut into individual servings or into one loaf that will be sliced upon serving. The puffed pastry is filled, secured shut (prefer seam down), and placed on baking sheet or in pan. (I often freeze in freezer save aluminum pans or wrap in waxed paper and store in plastic bag once frozen to use as needed.)

They can be baked in oven at approximately 350 degrees from frozen or non-frozen form, until cooked through and golden brown. I often serve topped with mushroom-onion gravy along side my Thanksgiving favorites. Sometimes, I share the extras with my non-cooking veggie friends or use for Christmas a month later. Enjoy!