Mushroom & Chestnut Wellington Recipe | Waitrose & Partners (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for chestnuts in beef Wellington? ›

Don't panic if you can't find chestnuts, you could try walnuts or hazelnuts instead – and these Wellingtons use ready-made puff pastry, so they really couldn't be easier.

Seared portobello mushrooms are layered with apple cider-caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms, which are seasoned with soy sauce for flavor and bolstered with walnuts for texture. The rich mushroom filling is vegan, and the entire dish can easily be made vegan, too.

Can I freeze vegetarian wellington? Yes, you can. I recommend freezing it before baking, with raw puff pastry around the chestnut mushroom filling.

Chestnut mushrooms, also called Cinnamon Cap mushrooms, consist of bunches of mushrooms containing a small golden or chestnut brown cap with pink to dark brown gills and a thin white or beige stem.

A friend does a good version with a mix of caremelized red onions, wilted spinach and blue cheese. It doesn't give quite the “right” texture as mushroom duxelles, but it is tasty. I think a mix of red and green peppers and leeks, all softened in butter or olive oil would work well.

Traditionally, the dish centers around beef surrounded by pâté, mushrooms and some form of ham that is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked in the oven. The best cut of beef for beef Wellington: We're starting with one of the most tender cuts of beef ever—the tenderloin!

The only time I ever made wellington, I simply put a mixture of onions and bacon and cheese in place of the mushroom layer. I first sprinkled parmesan cheese. Then I put a layer of finely chopped sauteed onions and then crumpled cooked bacon.

dux·​elles ˌdük-ˈsel. (ˌ)dü-ˈsel. : a garnish or stuffing made especially of finely chopped sautéed mushrooms.

Yes! You can prepare the beef and duxelles, and follow the recipe right up until it's time to add the puff pastry layer. Instead of adding the puff pastry (which may get soggy if you add it now) wrap the beef, duxelles, and prosciutto up in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge after cooling for up to 24 hours.

Should Beef Wellington be cooked from chilled? ›

You can prepare the Wellington up to 24 hours in advance at this point, but make sure you remove it from the fridge 30-40 minutes before the final bake. Carefully transfer the Beef Wellington to a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 425°F/220°C for 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Before prepping the meat take it out of the fridge to get to room temperature. Use a sheet of puff pastry and keep the leftovers to make some fun decorations on top of the beef wellington . Use your instant read thermometer to make sure the beef is cooked properly.

An Edible Pholiota

A cousin of the popular wine cap in the Strophariaceae, chestnut mushrooms (Pholiota adiposa) are Native to Europe and might also be called cinnamon cap mushrooms. These are a parasitic, hardwood-loving species found growing in clusters on living trees and decaying or rotting wood.

Chestnut mushrooms have long, crisp stems, much longer than cremini or button mushroom stems, and the entire mushroom, including the stem, is edible.

There are two reasons chestnuts are usually eaten fully peeled: The thin fuzzy membrane can be bitter, especially in raw nuts. Cooking and roasting mellows it a bit. The membrane is hard, fibrous and unpleasant, especially compared with the soft interior.

If you want the closest taste and texture to water chestnut, go for raw hazelnut. For a similar taste, use jicama and Jerusalem artichokes. And if you want the cheapest option, opt for white turnips. Keep in mind that each alternative is prepared differently.

Chinese chestnuts produce nuts that are similar in size and flavor to American chestnuts, which makes them a good substitute for culinary purposes. While there are some differences in flavor between the two species, many people find that Chinese chestnuts are a good replacement for American chestnuts.

One of the closest relatives to the chestnut, the beech nut, also has a nuttier flavor overall. The beech nut and the chestnut trees come from the same tree family.

450g fresh chestnuts (weighed in their shells) are equivalent to 175g dried, reconstituted chestnuts, or 350g tinned or vacuum-packed nuts.