the
Ultimate Veggie Feast

Mushroom Stuffed Filo Parcels

Serves 6 - can be vegan

Use your favourite vegetarian stuffing mix in this recipe or make your own. This recipe is excellent for Christmas in a family that has only one or two vegetarian members or is perhaps entertaining a vegetarian guest. The parcels can be assembled and then refrigerated for 24 hours before cooking them and completing the dish. Indeed, most of the ingredients will be part of everyone's Christmas meal.

6 medium-sized field mushrooms (flat)
oil to fry the mushrooms
225g/8oz packet fresh or frozen filo pastry
25g/1oz butter or vegan margarine*, melted
30ml/6tsp cranberry or redcurrant sauce
extra cranberry or redcurrant sauce, to serve

Hazelnut Stuffing

1 packet vegetarian stuffing mix, eg. parsley, lemon and thyme
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
15g/1/2oz butter or vegan margarine*
25-50g/1-2oz roasted hazelnuts, chopped
milk, dairy or soya*, for binding

 

Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5.

Fry the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes on each side until tender, then cool. Make up the stuffing mix of your choice. Fry the onion and celery in the butter or margarine*, and then add the stuffing mix and hazelnuts. Add a little milk (dairy or soya*) if necessary to bind together. Leave to cool.

Fill each flat field mushroom with the stuffing mixture.

Take 3 sheets of filo pastry at a time. Cut in half so you have 10 12.5cm/4-5 inch squares. Take one square and brush with a little melted butter or margarine. Place another square on top at an angle, and brush again. Do the same with a third sheet.

Place a stuffed mushroom in the middle of the filo pastry and top with a teaspoon of cranberry or redcurrant sauce. Bring the edges of the pastry up together and pinch them to form a little parcel (moneyÐbag shape). Make up the rest of the parcels in the same way.

Brush with melted butter or margarine* and place on a greased baking tray. Bake in the preÐheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Serve hot with extra cranberry or redcurrant sauce.

Tip -- A tasty alternative filling is to top the mushrooms with a piece of vegetarian Brie in place of the stuffing, and then top this with the cranberry or redcurrant sauce. In the summer, you could fill each mushroom with ricotta and spinach and top with a teaspoon of peach chutney to give a Mediterranean flavour to the parcels.

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