Lentil, Walnut and Mushroom Wellington with Saffron Sauce

This is an elegant and delicious vegetarian entree, perfect as a dinner party centerpiece or part of a holiday buffet table.  I was surprised at how much I love this recipe, because I never used to like lentils.  Over time I learned to like lentil soup and French lentil salads, but brown lentils?  Nope.  I think what makes the big difference here is that the brown (or green) lentils are joined by lots of other flavors and textures to make a really savory dish.  Sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce all add a depth of flavor, but the key is the walnuts - toasted and chopped coarsely, they add crunch to every bite.  Be sure not to chop them too finely.  Of course the puff pastry is a delicate and crisp wrapping that makes it special also.  What really takes it over the top is the creamy, lemony saffron sauce that's a wonderful contrast to the earthy flavors.

So what is a wellington?  Normally it's a piece of meat (beef or salmon are common) wrapped in puff pastry and baked, then sliced .  This is a vegetarian version that you could probably also call a savory strudel.  There's a fair amount of prep work for the filling, but you can make it in advance.  For that matter, you can form the wellingtons in advance also and just bake them right before serving, which is perfect for entertaining.  They can also be prepared and frozen, then thawed before baking.

As written, the recipe is vegetarian but you could make it vegan by eliminating the cheese and using vegan substitutes for the egg, mayonnaise, puff pastry and Worcestershire sauce (if you're vegan I assume you know all about those).

I think you'll be surprised by how much even non-vegetarians will like this dish.  Serve with a side salad and you've got a great dinner.

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Lentil, Walnut and Mushroom Wellington with Saffron Sauce

Serves 6-8

Note that the lentils need to be cooked in advance so plan ahead.

1 tablespoon olive oil

6-8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped

½ medium onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (preferably oil packed, drained)

 ¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ cups cooked brown or green lentils

½ cup toasted coarsely chopped walnuts

2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or a blend)

2 eggs

2 puff pastry sheets, thawed according to directions

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their water and are golden brown.  Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the salt, thyme, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce and lentils and cook for a minute or two to let the flavors blend.  Set aside to cool.

Lightly beat one of the eggs.  When the mixture has cooled, add beaten egg and cheese and mixture thoroughly.  The filling may be made up to a day in advance and refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 400d.

Unfold one piece of puff pastry at a time and lightly roll out to a slightly larger rectangle, approximately 12” by 10”.  Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and use to brush the two short sides and one long side of the pastry.  Place the long side without egg wash nearest to you, then put half of the lentil filling

 across the middle of the pastry lengthwise (to form a log shape) leaving a 1½” border on each short side.  Fold the short sides over the filling, then fold the edge nearest you up and over the filling.  Finally, fold the top edge down and over the filling, pressing gently on the edge to seal.  Turn the log over so the sealed edge is on the bottom.  Use some of the remaining beaten egg to brush the outside of the wellington and make one shallow cut in the top to allow steam to escape.  Repeat with the second puff pastry sheet and remaining filling and egg.  The wellingtons may be refrigerated at this point for up to a day, or tightly wrapped and frozen for several weeks.  Thaw in the refrigerator before proceeding.

Place the wellingtons on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until golden.  Let stand 5 minutes before cutting with a serrated knife.  Serve with saffron sauce, below.

Saffron Sauce

2 tablespoons water

¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Warm the water and saffron in the microwave for 30 seconds or so, then let steep for 10 minutes.  Stir.  Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and lemon juice.  Add the saffron water and whisk again to blend.  Refrigerate if not using immediately.  Bring to room temperature before serving; add more lemon juice if necessary to achieve the right pourable consistency.