Festive Parcels Vegan recipe
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Festive Parcels

Cook 1 hr 20 mins
Serves 4

A combination of tofu marinated in all the comforting aromatic spices you can think of, with just a hint of chilli, encased in light and crispy pastry blanket.

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Ingredients

1/2 pack of Cauldron Organic Tofu 396g, drained and pressed for 20 minutes, cut into small cubes (less than 1cm)

275g butternut squash cut into small strips
2 x tbsp vegetable oil
4 x tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 x tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1 x tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 x fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

For the filling:
1 x medium onion, finely diced
150g mushrooms, cleaned and diced
2 x sprigs of fresh thyme
2 x fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2 x cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 50ml hot water
100ml medium white wine
150g spinach, wilted and drained, a pinch of nutmeg added
100g toasted pine nuts, roughly chopped
100g fresh breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

For the pastry:
500g ready of roll vegan puff pastry
Melted vegan margarine for glaze

For the Madeira Sauce:
1 x shallot, finely chopped
1 x tbsp oil
300ml vegetable stock
450ml Madeira wine (or vegan alternative)
300ml soy cream
1 x tbsp fresh chives, finely chives
1 x tbsp cornflour in 2 tbsp cold water

Method

  1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and add the Cauldron tofu and the butternut squash. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Place the marinated tofu and squash on a lightly greased baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the mushrooms, sage, thyme and garlic and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the stock and wine, bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half the quantity. Stir in the spinach, pine nuts, breadcrumbs. Season to taste and allow to cool.
  4. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C / 400°C / Gas Mark 6.
  5. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of approximately half a centimetre into a rectangular shape and cut into four pieces. Spoon a quarter of the vegetable mixture over the pastry. Fold each corner of the pastry up over the mix and pinch the seams lightly together to seal and form a parcel. Use a cocktail stick to hold together if necessary. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling. Brush generously with beaten egg then place on a greased baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

Method for the Madeira Sauce:

  1. Preheat the oil over a low/medium heat and gently cook the onions for 4-5 minutes until softened but without colouring them.
  2. Stir in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and reduce until the volume is approximately half of the original amount. Repeat with the Madeira wine and soy cream. Stir in the cornflour to thicken, stirring continuously and add the chives just before serving.

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