Pumpkin and Beetroot Wellingtons with Kale Pesto Recipe

Ingredients

For the pumpkin and beetroot Wellingtons

1 red onion
250g (9oz) beetroot
½ butternut pumpkin (about 400g/14oz)
5 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon sumac, plus a little extra for garnish
250g (9oz) cooked Puy lentils
Salt
3 sheets of puff pastry (about 500g/1lb 2oz)
2 tablespoons almond milk

For the kale pesto

180g (6½ oz) precooked chestnuts
½ lemon
100g (3½ oz) kale
4 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5).

For the pumpkin and beetroot Wellingtons, peel the onion and cut it into 8 wedges. Peel and dice the beetroot; peel the pumpkin, scrape out the seeds with a spoon and dice the flesh. Gently crush the garlic cloves with the skin on and combine the vegetables with the garlic, olive oil, thyme and sumac in a bowl. Spread everything evenly on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 45 minutes.

When the vegetables are soft, peel and mash the garlic cloves. In a bowl, mix half of the mashed garlic with the lentils and roasted vegetables, season with salt and leave everything to cool completely.

For the kale pesto, roughly chop the chestnuts. Juice the lemon. Bring a small pan of water to the boil and blanch the kale for 2 minutes, then drain and squeeze out any excess water. Blend everything with the remaining garlic, olive oil and a little sea salt to make a thick pesto.

Preheat the oven again to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5).

For the Wellingtons, join and then cut the three sheets of puff pastry to make two rectangles. Spread one half of each rectangle with the kale pesto and top with the lentil and vegetable filling. Brush the edges with a little almond milk, fold over and seal well.

Transfer the Wellingtons to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush with almond milk, sprinkle with sumac and bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes until golden brown.

Recipe extracted from The Magical Christmas Cookbook, published by Murdoch Books (murdochbooks.co.uk)
Images: Melina Kutelas

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