This En Croute is filled with spicy jackfruit, a smoky mushroom tofu pâté and boozy apricots. It’s great one to make ahead of time - you can make all the fillings and the sauce in advance and then assemble and bake it on the day.

Spicy Pulled Jackfruit En Croute with a Red Pepper Sauce

Spicy Pulled Jackfruit

Dietary: Vegan

Ingredients

• 4 medium onions, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• ½ tsp brown sugar
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• Pinch of chilli
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 x 565g tin Jackfruit, drained and sliced
• 2 tbsp shoyu
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 200ml water
• 20g fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp ground flax seeds

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt and pepper and ½ tsp of sugar.
2. Soften the onions gently on a low heat for 15 minutes until translucent, then turn up the heat and cook for a further 15 minutes until the onions are golden brown. Remove the cooked onions from the oil and put to one side.
3. Keep the oil in the saucepan and start to cook the garlic, gently fry for 1 minute, then add the spices and tomato puree and cook for a further minute until it smells fragrant.
4. Add the sliced jack fruit, shoyu, maple syrup, lime zest and juice, cider vinegar, liquid smoke and the water.
5. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and the jackfruit is tender and caramelising.
6. Shred the jackfruit with a couple of forks. Stir in the cooked onions, the chopped fresh parsley and ground flax seeds through.

Mushroom, Chestnut and Smoked Tofu Pâté

Dietary: Vegan

Ingredients

• 150g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp shoyu
• 100g ready cooked chestnuts
• 250g smoked tofu, roughly chopped
• 50g breadcrumbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Method

1. Sauté the mushrooms in the olive oil until all the juices are released, then add the shoyu, continue to cook until the juices have evaporated.
2. In a food processor, blend the ready cooked chestnuts and smoked tofu, add the cooked mushrooms and continue to mix to a slightly chunky pâté. Stir through the breadcrumbs.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper and lemon juice.

Spicy Pulled Jackfruit En Croute

Dietary: Vegan | Serves 6 to 8

Prep time: 1 1/2 hours | Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pack of puff pastry (500g)
• 1 recipe mushroom, chestnut and smoked tofu pâté
• 1 recipe spicy pulled jackfruit
• 100g apricots (sulphured for colour), soaked in brandy overnight
• Olive oil for brushing the pastry

Method

1. To construct the en croute roll the pastry out to a large 30x30cm square.
2. Place on a slightly larger piece of baking parchment.
3. Spread the mushroom pâtéover the majority of the pastry, leaving a 5cm gap of pastry top and bottom and 3cm gap each side.
4. Arrange the jackfruit in a slightly smaller rectangle over the pâté.
5. Place the apricots in a line along the middle of the jackfruit.
6. Use the parchment to help you lift and fold the pastry over the filling, making sure the bottom and top 5cm’s of pastry join together. Seal up the edges by pressing together with the rolling pin. Seal the sides of the pastry up as well. Trim off any excess, leaving enough pastry to roll up the edges and crimp with a fork. Brush the pastry with olive oil. Lightly score a criss-cross effect over pastry being careful not to cut all the way through.
7. Place onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Bake at 200C Fan for 25 minutes then turn down to 170C Fan for a further 15 minutes until evenly golden and the pastry is cooked through.
8. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
9. Serve with red pepper sauce and roasted thinly sliced potatoes and parsnips with sage leaves.

Red Pepper Sauce

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Dietary: Vegan, Gluten free

Ingredients

• 4 red peppers, left whole
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• Pinch of chilli
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/200Fan.
2. Roast the whole peppers in the pre-heated oven turning them a few times until they are blackened and soft.
3. Place the roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with cling film, leave for 10 minutes
4. Remove the peppers and hold them over a bowl. The skins should peel off easily.
5. Break off the stalks of the peppers and remove the core and seeds.
6. Blend the peppers with the garlic, olive oil, ground cumin, red wine vinegar and smoked paprika in a food processor.
7. Season to taste with chilli and a pinch of salt.
8. If you want a really smooth sauce, pass through a sieve to remove any bits of skin or seeds.

Delicious food photography by Rob Wicks of Eat Pictures.

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