Cauliflower Wellington recipe
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Total: 1 h 5 min Diners: 4
The Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, went down in history for defeating Napoleon at Waterloo and for putting his name, but not before eating a few, to the “boeuf en croûte”, what we know as Sirloin Wellington, come on.
The reality is that it is a recipe with substance and a lot of technique when we talk about meat, as they do with mastery in the Café Comercial or Lakasa, but in reality, if a piece of meat or fish can be wrapped in puff pastry, why not a vegetable?
Today’s recipe, especially for vegetarians, came to me precisely when a friend told me that he had never tried roast sirloin in this way because of the complexity and price of the matter, and also asked me if it could be done with something else. Said and done.
A cauliflower roasted in soy and mustard, wrapped in a duxelle of mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms and with the grace of the olivada under a tender and golden layer of puff pastry, would be the culprits that made the duke wary of this new recipe, which should be called something like Villalón Cauliflower, right? And now… It will not be the same as with meat, of course, but much cheaper, very healthy and tremendously fun.
In Cocinillas we have already raised many options with cauliflower recipes because, basically, although it enjoys a bad reputation among the younger audience (blame to remember those overcooked cauliflowers that make emanate terrible smells), it is a vegetable that can be found throughout the year and is very versatile to cook. L
Today’s preparation is very easy and don’t tell me it doesn’t look pretty in the center of a table…Who doesn’t like to prepare it with puff pastry? The results of roasting a whole cauliflower are guaranteed because it is something we have seen before in restaurants, such as Honest Greens. It’s a great recipe that will surprise and amaze the most select and sybaritic guests.
How to make a cauliflower Wellington
The preparation is exactly the same as if it were a sirloin steak, but roasting the cauliflower, well smeared with soy and mustard, previously en papillote for 40 minutes. Then cover it with the mushroom and whatever you like (bacon or ham if it’s not for vegetarians); wrap it in puff pastry and bake it for 40 minutes more.
In fact, if it weren’t for the butter in the puff pastry, it would be perfectly suitable for vegans. We all like from time to time to skip the meat and eat lighter things, especially now that the Christmas holidays are just around the corner with all the eating that they entail.
Ingredients
. Cauliflower, 1 pc Fresh puff pastry, 1 slab Onion, 1 pc Garlic clove, 1 pc Mushrooms, 100 g Shiikate mushrooms, 100 g Butter, 60 g Cream, 50 ml Brandy, 50 ml Olive tapenade, 4 tablespoons Salt, c/s White pepper, 1 teaspoon Egg, 1 pc Soy sauce, 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 tablespoons Olive oil, 2 tablespoons
Step 1
Clean the cauliflower well by removing the green leaves and also the thickest part of the lower stalk. Prick with the help of a knife and smear with oil and soy all over, also with the mustard. Arrange on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake 40 minutes at 180ºC. Cool completely by adding a little salt.
Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the mushroom duxelle. To do this poach the onion with the butter and the garlic clove, chopped as finely as we can (without skins, of course) over low heat with a little salt. Until they are very tender.
Step 3
Add the mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms also cut very small and fry very well. Add the brandy and let it evaporate. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper. If necessary, grind it roughly to make a kind of paste. If you have chopped it very well it will not be necessary. Let it cool completely.
Step 4
When everything is cold, spread the puff pastry sheet and cover almost completely with the olive tapenade. On top add the mushroom farce and place the cauliflower with the ridge down. Then bring up all the edges of the puff pastry to cover it entirely, as well as possible, so that the closure remains at the base. Turn over very carefully and place on a baking paper on the tray.
Step 5
Paint the whole puff pastry with the beaten egg. Bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes and serve.
Tricks and suggestions
It will be a good idea to accompany the cauliflower with some sauce so that the inner parts are bathed with some juice that will give it grace since the inner part will not touch the mushrooms or the olives.
