This is my interpretation of the vegetarian mushroom vol au vent main course I had in Overture restaurant at Hidden Valley Wines in Stellenbosch.
I must point out first of all that this vol au vent is as far removed from the Seventies buffet staple filled with some dubious looking prawn cocktail as it is possible to be. The chef at Overture, Bertus Basson, has elevated the humble pre-bought classic to fine dining status and I managed to get the recipe. Result.
The secret to a light and very well risen Vol au Vent is (I now know) piling three layers of puff pastry on top of each other, glazing with egg wash in between each layer, cutting a circle in the middle of the square half way through the pastry and, very importantly, trimming the edges so that it can rise evenly. Following these steps, and making sure you chill your pastry before you put it in the oven, should result in perfectly puffed up pastry. Well if it worked for me….
In my version I used Greek yoghurt rather than cream (those chefs love a bit of butter and cream) and I used a sweet sherry rather than brandy because that’s what I had. Mushrooms and sherry are a classic combination anyway, oh and I added a bit of fresh parsley.
Mushroom vol au vent recipe
Makes 3, vegetarian. Adapted from Bertus Basson
Prep time: 30 mins (not including defrosting) Cooking time: 20-25 mins
- 1 roll/block puff pastry (defrosted in the fridge overnight)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 100 ml milk
- 500 gr mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme
- a big splosh or 2 of sweet sherry or brandy
- 3 sml pots (375 ml) Greek yoghurt
- salt & black pepper
- 3 tbsp cream cheese
- a big handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped plus leaves for garnish
- milk to thin sauce if necessary
- a couple of thin slices of black truffle, finely julienned (optional)
Whisk together, the egg, sugar and milk with a fork for the glaze and set aside. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured board to a 12 x 12 inch square about 2-3 mm thick. With a sharp knife cut into 9 equal squares 4 x 4 inches each. Three rows of three (see picture above).
Stack three squares on top of each other, brushing with glaze in between each layer. Repeat so you have three stacks of three. Put these in the fridge for about 15 minutes to chill. Preheat oven to 180 C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Remove from the fridge and trim the edges with a sharp knife. Brush the top with the glaze (if you haven’t already) and use a round cutter or glass to cut a circle in the centre of each square about half way through the pastry. Place on the lined baking tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
Leave to cool then remove the circle from the top of each one. I kept mine to top each one off, like a little hat. Now hollow them out by removing as much of the pastry as possible from inside.
For the filling, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over a medium high heat and cook the onion and a pinch of salt for about four minutes until softened and starting to brown, then add the garlic & thyme and cook for a further minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until nicely browned.
Add a couple of sploshes of sherry and cook out for a minute then add the yoghurt, stirring to combine. Season well with salt & black pepper and cook to reduce the sauce slightly and intensify the flavour. Turn off the heat and stir through the cream cheese and chopped parsley. Taste for seasoning.
I wanted my filling quite thick and creamy, if you would like it more like a sauce, just add some milk at the end until you are happy with the consistency.
To serve: Heat the vol au vent for a few minutes in a warm oven, place on your serving plate, fill with the mushrooms, top with the pastry circle and garnish with the slivered truffle and parsley leaves. I served this with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil & lemon juice. Roasted Brussel sprouts and celeriac are lovely too if they are in season where you are.
