I am always delighted to discover a simple ingredient like
puff pastry that can be a vehicle for a huge range of dishes, sweet and
savory. In the past, puff pastry would have supported meat, cheese, and even
seafood in my kitchen, but the richness of buttery puff pastry is balanced well by earthy vegetables and bright sauces.
My first effort is this Harvest Vegetable Square. We enjoyed it on Christmas
Day with wild rice pilaf, maple glazed carrots, and a simple herb mushroom
gravy. I am already plotting ways to adorn the second package of puff pastry
living in my freezer…maybe chocolate and caramel…maybe roasted tomatoes and
cashew ricotta…mmm.
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| Last Christmas with mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts |
Harvest
Vegetable Squares
Adapted from
Vegetarian Times, November 2012
1 large head
cauliflower, small florets
1 head
garlic
¼ cup
vegetable stock
4
tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons
vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
3
tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon
cornstarch
½ cup water
1 teaspoon
fresh thyme, chopped
15 Brussels
sprouts, halved
15 baby
carrots, halved
15 button
mushrooms, halved
2 shallots,
peeled and sliced finely
1 package
frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
Salt and
pepper
Heat oven to
425º. Line a rimmed
baking sheet or oven proof dish with foil. Spread cauliflower in a single
layer, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Slice off the top of the head of garlic, and drizzle with olive oil. Place in
the pan with the cauliflower. Roast for 35-45 minutes until the cauliflower and
garlic is tender. Remove and set aside to cool.
In a large sauté
pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the
Brussels sprouts, carrots, shallots, thyme, and mushrooms. Sauté until fork
tender, about 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the white wine,
cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and water. Add this to the sautéed
vegetables, and continue cooking for 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and
coats all the vegetables. Remove from heat, and set aside.
In the bowl
of a food processor, combine the cauliflower, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce,
and vegetable stock. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the cloves and add to
the food processor. Pulse until relatively smooth and well-mixed. Set aside.
Heat the
oven to 425º. On a
well-floured surface, roll each sheet of puff pastry into a 12” x 12” square.
Cut each square into 4 equal pieces. Line two baking sheets with parchment
paper, and place four squares of puff pastry on each sheet. If the puff pastry
feels very sticky, you can put it in the fridge for a few minutes. Spread 2 or
3 tablespoons of the cauliflower puree in the center of each square. Top this with
½ cup of the sautéed vegetables. Bring the two opposing corners together of the
square into the middle, and press to seal. Repeat with the other two corners. Place
the squares in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the trays front to
back, and top to bottom, and bake for 10 more minutes. The squares are ready
when the top and bottom is golden and crisp. Serve piping hot with a drizzle of
herb and mushroom gravy.
