Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Tonight's Dinner...Bean Wellington

Since giving up meat I have been trying to be creative for my family's sake. And to insure that I won't give up because I am bored with food. I am a total foodie!! I love cooking and trying new and interesting things. I haven't always been so open to food but I have recently learned to LOVE food. Although to look at my waistline you would have never known that I am a former food hater....lol.
So here is what we had tonight....oh and btw my 11 yr old is also a food hater...she is the pickiest human being on the face of the earth...BUT...she is learning to love food also. She ate three slices of this tonight. I was stunned. My 3 yr old, however, was not interested at all. She ate about 4 forkfuls of succotash and ran off. Oh well, I guess it's her age. Now...the recipe....


Bean Wellington

Ingredients
1 sheet of thawed puffed pastry or pie crust (homemade or store bought)

1/2 C dry lentils
1 tbsp steak sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire(watch out for those anchovies) sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
2 cloves of pressed or minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato paste or puree
2-3 tsp "beef" bouillon
1-2 tsp "chicken" bouillon
salt & pepper to taste
water

2 boiled potatoes
3-4 tbsp rice, soy, almond, or dairy milk
1/2 C carrots
1/2-1 Onion
1/4 C - 1/2 C ground flavored crackers or flour or breadcrumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cook lentils in water with steak sauce, worchestershire sauce, garlic, tomato puree, bouillon, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper . Start with 1 C of water stirring often, adding water 1/2 c at a time till lentils are soft and water is cooked away. This will probably take about 2 1/2 C water total and 30 +/- mins. When cooked to soft consistency set aside to cool, remove bay leaf.

In a food processor combine boiled potatoes (no skins) and milk. Process till smooth. Set aside in mixing bowl. Process carrots and onion till fine. Add to mixing bowl. Add ground crackers/flour/breadcrumbs. Mix together well.

Put lentils in the food processor and blend till coarse. Add to mixing bowl of other ingredients. Mix well.

Oil a piece of parchment paper or foil. Lay out mixture onto oiled paper/foil and form into loaf. Wrap tightly. Cook for 1 1/2 hrs. till firm.

When finished cooking allow to cool enough to handle it. While it cools roll out pastry or crust on floured surface. It should be large enough to fit loaf. Lay loaf in the center of the pastry and wrap sides in. Lay on cookie sheet seam side down. Brush top lightly with olive oil. Cook till golden brown about 20-25 mins.
Enjoy with gravy or ketchup.

Here are the pics of our dinner.

The Bean Wellington right out of the oven.
Here it is cut open


My 3 yr old's plate

My plate

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