With the cripsy pastry of the Vol Au Vents and the yummy flavours of the fillings will get your tastebuds tingling and in the mood for romance!
Mature Times has come together with The Vegetarian Society to provide you with some fabulous treat ideas for you and your loved ones this Valentines Day.
Leek and Mushroom Vol au Vent Hearts
Serves 4
Ingredients
225g ready-made puff pastry
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium leek, trimmed, washed and finely shredded
50g wild mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tsp shoyu
1cm/1/2" piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 dessert spoon plain flour
75ml soya cream
15g pine nuts, toasted
To Serve:
griddled baby vegetables
4 tbsp sweet and sour sauce mixed with an equal amount of water.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 225C/450F/Gas 8. Roll out the pastry to 5mm/1/4" thick and using a 10cm/4" pastry cutter, cut out two circles. With a 7.5cm/3" cutter, cut an inner circle part way through each. With a medium heart shaped cutter, cut out two hearts (these will form the lids).
- Place the pastry shapes on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for about 5 minutes, until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack, then remove the centres from each pastry circle, making sure you remove as much of the inside as possible to leave room for the filling.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and gently cook the leek until tender. Add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat to evaporate the liquid. Stir in the shoyu, grated ginger and seasoning.
- Add the flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the soya cream and cook until thickened. Stir in the pine nuts. Reheat the vol au vent cases at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for about 15 minutes.
- Heat the filling and spoon into the hot cases. Top with the heart shaped lids at an angle. Place each one on a large serving plate and surround with griddled baby vegetables (carrots, sweet corn, mange tout are colourful), drizzled with a little warmed and diluted sweet and sour sauce if liked.
Copyright © The Vegetarian Society 2000.
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