Winter Vegetable Coulibiac with Porcini Mushroom Sauce

The Flexitarian

This recipe makes a lovely dish, perfect for entertaining. It is straightforward and the filling can be made ahead. Don’t skip the porcini mushroom sauce, it gives an extra touch of deliciousness.

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Ingredients

For the Coulibiac:
400g Brussels sprouts [14 oz]
2 handfuls fresh cranberries
200g vacuum packed chestnuts [7 oz]
75g basmati & wild rice [2.6 oz]
3 large banana (echallion) shallots (finely chopped)
2 large garlic cloves (crushed)
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 large handfuls of chopped parsley leaves
1 vegan puff pastry (I used Jus Rol) + melted dairy free butter to seal
For the Porcini Mushroom Sauce:
50g dried porcini mushrooms [1.75oz]
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 large garlic clove (crushed)
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves (chopped)
500ml vegetable stock [just under 1/2 pint / US 2 cups]
125ml (vegan) white wine [4 fl oz / US 1 cup]
1 Tbsp dairy free butter
1 Tbsp plain flour
3 Tbsp dairy free cream
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

This recipe makes a lovely dish, perfect for entertaining. It is straightforward and the filling can be made ahead. Don’t skip the porcini mushroom sauce, it gives an extra touch of deliciousness.

Preparation

The only piece of equipment you need for the top is a Lattice Pastry Cutter. If you do not have one just cover the top with a regular sheet of pastry leaving a little hole in the middle so the steam can escape.

Method

Put porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
Cook the rice according to packet instructions. It should still have a bit of a bite. Drain and set aside.
In the meantime, heat some olive oil in a large frying pan. Add banana shallots and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Fry gently until golden and soft.
Clean Brussels sprouts. Cut them in thin slices.
Add Brussels sprouts to frying pan with cranberries, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Mix well and cook together for 10 mins.
Add chopped chestnuts. Cook together for 5-10 mins until sprouts and cranberries are cooked. Season to taste.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Roll out puff pastry to a rectangle of about 33 x 44 cm (13 x 17 inch). Cut pastry to obtain two rectangles of different widths. One should be about 19 x 44 cm (7.5 x 17 inch) and the other 14 x 44 cm (5.5 x 17 inch).
Cover a baking tray with some parchment paper. Please large piece of pastry on top.
Blend vegetables and rice together and pile the mixture on top of pastry leaving a 3 cm (just over 1 inch) edge all around. Brush the edges with some melted dairy free butter.
Run the lattice pastry cutter in the middle of the smaller piece of pastry leaving an edge of around 3 cm (just over 1 inch). Carefully place on top of the vegetable/ rice mixture. The lattice will open as it goes over the filling. Press edges together to seal, folding pastry if necessary.
Brush melted dairy free butter on the lattice and place in the oven for around 20 mins until golden.
In the meantime make the porcini mushroom sauce. Heat some olive oil in a saucepan. Fry onion, garlic and rosemary until soft.
Add porcini mushrooms with their liquid, vegetable stock and wine. Boil together until liquid has reduced by half.
Put flour in a bowl and dilute with some of the liquid from the mushroom sauce, making sure there are no lumps.
Add butter and diluted flour to the mushroom sauce. Whisk regularly and cook under high heat until it has thickened. Blend cream in just before serving. Season to taste.
Serve coulibiac with porcini mushroom sauce on the side.