Veggie ROULADE

I've been meaning to post this recipe all week since its a fab vegan alternative to that old Scottish staple, steak pie, traditionally served on New Years Day!

Note to self, stop procrastinating!! 

As you will be aware, we are plant based and don't eat animals so steak pie has been off the menu for us for a number of years. However we are all very partial to a nice crispy pastry filled with veggies, which brings me nicely back to this lovely roulade!

I first tried this last year at the awesome Lee Watsons vegan cooking retreat, which was filled with the most delicious, flavoursome vegan food and it just looked amazing and most definitely good enough for a celebration dinner.

I tweaked the filling and my version has 3 layers, sauted leeks with thyme, oven roasted butternut squash and sauteed mushrooms with spinach and balsamic or tamari for extra flavour.

You can be inventive here and use whatever veggie combination you fancy, you can add beans or feta or goats cheese as an extra layer for non vegans. 

Olives and sun dried tomatoes are a great addition too.

We are having two of these roulades on New Years Day, Jenna is making vegan haggis from scratch and will be filling her roulade with this and a layer of greens and will be serving a whisky sauce with it, she is an awesome vegan cook!

Jenna is also making vegan cranachan, that old traditional Scottish dessert, made with oats, double cream, whisky, honey and raspberries.

Her version will use coconut cream and maple syrup and will probably have a selection of healthy seeds and nuts through it too! Sadly she hasn't made it yet so I can't share her recipe or show you a photo. I will post it in the New Year.

So back to the roulade! Its actually really easy but does involve a few different steps since all the veggies for the filling are precooked and cooled before filling the pastry. I just use standard shop bought puff pastry, which is surprisingly vegan!
I used to think that puff pastry was made with butter but its actually made with vegetable oils now so perfect for anyone avoiding dairy!

A wee important point to note, any filling needs to be fairly dry so drain any liquid off or you will end up with soggy pastry, which is not what you want!

Take your pastry out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature to make it more supple and less likely to crack and break. I always buy the pre rolled puff pastry sheets, rather than the block of pastry, which you have to roll out yourself. 
I'm all for making life easier and just prefer the pre rolled version. Jus Roll do a good one and its widely available, all the supermarkets stock it!

This roulade will make 10 slices and looks lovely with all the colourful layers!

So have a wonderful Hogmanay and New Year, count your blessings, and enjoy precious time with your loved ones!

VEGGIE ROULADE

Ingredients
1 pack of shop bought puff pastry
2 medium leeks, washed and thinly sliced
few tablespoons fresh herbs, thyme, sage or rosemary, or a teaspoon dried herbs
1 250g pack of mushrooms,  chestnut, or any mixture you like
good few handfuls of spinach, washed and chopped
250 - 300g butternut squash, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
1 teaspoon tamari or balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
soya or other plant based milk 

Method

1. First take your puff pastry out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature.
2. Wash and half the leeks lengthwise then thinly slice them. Heat a tablespoon of rapeseed oil in a pan, add the leeks, a pinch of sea salt and cook over a medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until the leeks are soft and sweet. Add the fresh or dried herbs and leave aside to cool.
3. Heat the oven to 200C and prepare the butternut squash. Its easiest to use the long neck end. Simply cut the the long neck end into two lengthwise, peel the skin off, then thinly slice into half moon shapes.
4. Put the slices of squash onto a baking tray, in a single layer, and drizzle over some rapeseed oil and some sea salt. Bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or so, turning the tray halfway through cooking, until the squash is cooked.
5. Wipe and slice the mushrooms, add them to a large pan with 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes with a pinch of sea salt. Add a few handfuls of washed spinach and stir until it wilts down. Drain off any liquid then add a teaspoon of tamari or balsamic vinegar. Mix well, taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Unroll the puff pastry onto a non stick baking tray. I always buy the kind which is already rolled into a sheet. Jus Roll do a good one, it comes in a green cardboard box. If you buy the small square one then you will have to roll it out into a rectangle shape about 14 by 10 inches.
7. With the long side facing you, start to add your layers of veggies in a line starting with the leeks, then top with the squash and finishing with the mushrooms. Start your filling a couple of inches away from the long edge. If you have too much filling just leave some out.
8. Lightly brush all the edges with some soya milk.
9. Start to roll the pastry up, tucking the ends in as you go. 
10. You have to press the filling in as you go and tightly roll the pastry, you should end up with a long roll with a fold at the bottom. You may need to dust the pastry with some flour if it starts sticking.
11. Cut slices into the top of the roulade and brush with soya milk. I cut mine into 10 slices but you could make it 12 if you have smaller appetites or more people to feed!
12. Bake in a hot oven at 220 or 200 or a fan oven for around 30 to 35 minutes until nicely browned and crisp!
13. Slice and serve with potatoes and greens or a nice big winter salad!

              .........your health in your hands.....​