Mushroom and Nut Wellington
680g (1lb 8oz) Onions
565g (1lb 4oz) Puff Pastry
450g (16oz) Chestnut Mushrooms
340g (12oz) Cashew broken pieces
340g (12oz) Ground Almonds
170g (6oz) Fresh Breadcrumbs, white or wholemeal
55ml (2fl oz) Sunflower Oil
4 Garlic Cloves
4 tbsp Sherry
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsp Fresh Tarragon
1 Egg, beaten for glazing
Salt and Pepper to taste
Roll out the pastry into two rectangles, 23x30.5cm each, cover and place in the fridge.
Chop the onions.
Sauté in the oil in a large frying pan with half the crushed garlic for at least 20 minutes or until deep golden.
Remove onions from the pan and reserve.
In the same pan then add the whole mushrooms to with the remaining crushed garlic and half the tarragon and cook on a fairly high heat.
Halfway through cooking, add the sherry.
Continue until the mushrooms are cooked through.
Season with salt and pepper.
Set aside, reserving all the mushroom juices.
In a food processor or blender, blend the cashews with the reserved juices to a smooth purée, add a little water or sherry if the mixture is too dry.
Blend or process the onions and mushrooms until smooth.
Mix all the blended ingredients together in a bowl, adding the breadcrumbs, ground almonds and the remaining tarragon.
The mixture should hold its shape when formed with the hands.
Pre-heat oven to 220°C: 425°F: Gas 7.
Remove the pastry from the fridge.
Divide the mixture in two and place half on a sheet of pastry, into rectangular shape about 28cm long, 7cm wide and about 5cm high.
Using the point of a sharp knife, make diagonal cuts at a 45-degree angle, starting from the left hand corner of the pastry towards the purée mixture.
Repeat on the other side, this time starting at the top right hand corner and cutting down towards the centre.
The strips should now be about 2cm apart.
Fold in the end pieces first.
Then draw a strip over from the left, then one from the right, crossing them over (you can tug lightly at the strips if you need to) so the mix is snugly wrapped up.
Repeat for the second wellington.
Glaze generously with beaten egg.
Place upon a floured baking tray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes until golden.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before placing on a serving dish.
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