The Greatest Mushroom Wellington
Prep
45m
Cook
40m
Total
85m
Bigly says
Sit down for this one. We are doing a mushroom Wellington and what I'm about to tell you is going to CHANGE you. The Wellington — the original, the beef one, beautiful dish, no notes — has had a chokehold on dinner parties for two hundred years. TWO HUNDRED. And in all that time, nobody, NOBODY, said hey, what if we did this with mushrooms? Nobody. Until now. I'm not saying I invented it. I'm a humble man, ask anyone. But when the food historians look back, they will know who put the mushroom Wellington on the map, and the answer rhymes with Bigly.
This one is a slaughter. Golden puff pastry, shattering, crackling, the kind of crisp that announces itself across the room. Inside? A WALL of meaty portobellos. A layer of duxelles so rich it should be regulated by the state. English mustard. Spinach. The works. People take one bite and they make a noise — a noise! — that no human is supposed to make in public. It has happened at my dinner parties. It has happened to grown men. Tough guys. Servers in restaurants have recognized me afterwards and asked about THE WELLINGTON. They know.
Here is what nobody tells you. I had a food chemist explain this to me — very smart guy, PhD, took him ninety minutes, worth every second — the duxelles is everything. EVERYTHING. The TV chefs will tell you to buy duxelles from a jar. A JAR. Mushrooms from a jar, in this economy, in this kitchen, are you serious. Most chefs are afraid to do duxelles properly because it requires patience and patience is not a thing they sell on Instagram. You cook those mushrooms down until they are bone dry, and you do it with your full attention, not while scrolling. That chef on cable — you know the one — rushes it in five minutes flat and then wonders why his pastry is a soggy raft. We don't do that here. Mushrooms. Pastry. Glory. Let's go.
Ingredients
- 6large portobello mushrooms(stems removed, gills scraped)
- 1 lbcremini mushrooms(for the duxelles)
- 3 mediumshallots, finely minced
- 4 clovesgarlic, minced
- 2 tbspfresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cupdry sherry or white wine
- 4 tbspunsalted butter
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 5 ozfresh baby spinach
- 2 tbspEnglish mustard (or Dijon)
- 1 sheet (about 14 oz)all-butter puff pastry, thawed(all-butter or don't bother)
- 1large egg, beaten with 1 tsp water(for egg wash)
- to tastekosher salt
- to tasteblack pepper
- 1 tspflaky sea salt (for finishing)
Steps
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush portobello caps with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on a sheet pan, gill-side up, for 15 minutes until tender. Drain off any released liquid and let cool completely. This step is critical — wet mushrooms ruin the pastry.
- 2
Make the duxelles: pulse cremini mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped (do this in batches to avoid a paste).
- 3
Melt 2 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook 3 minutes until soft.
- 4
Add the chopped mushrooms, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has fully evaporated. The duxelles should be dark and dry — if there's any moisture, keep cooking.
- 5
Deglaze with sherry, scraping the pan. Cook 2 more minutes until completely dry. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on a plate to cool completely.
- 6
Wilt the spinach in the remaining butter, then squeeze out all liquid with a clean kitchen towel. Be ruthless — every drop of moisture matters.
- 7
On a sheet of parchment, roll the puff pastry to a 14x12 inch rectangle. Spread a thin layer of mustard down the center third lengthwise.
- 8
Layer half the duxelles over the mustard, then the wilted spinach, then arrange the cooled portobellos in a tight row (overlap slightly if needed), then top with remaining duxelles.
- 9
Brush exposed pastry edges with egg wash. Fold the long sides up and over the filling, then seal the short ends. Flip seam-side down onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- 10
Brush the entire Wellington with egg wash. Score the top decoratively with a sharp knife (don't cut through). Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- 11
Bake at 400°F for 35-40 minutes, rotating halfway, until the pastry is deeply golden brown and crisp.
- 12
Rest 10 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife. Serve in thick slices.
One more thing
You did it. You made a Wellington that will SHUT DOWN your next dinner party. People will whisper. They will text each other. 'Have you been to so-and-so's place — the Wellington.' That's all they'll say. Just 'the Wellington.' Serve it with a red wine reduction, roasted baby potatoes, glazed carrots, the works. Take a picture BEFORE you slice it — the second the knife goes in, that thing is gone, your family will eat it standing up at the counter and you will not see a second slice. And there you have it.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about The Greatest Mushroom Wellington.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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