Chestnut Bourguignon pie recipe

Veggies can often miss out at Christmas - but no-one will feel hard done by with this deliciously rich and festive chestnut pie

Ingredients

• 110g dried chestnuts, soaked for 6-8 hours
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1tsp / 5ml dried rosemary
• 210ml vegetarian/vegan red wine
• 300ml vegetable/vegan stock or water
• 25g butter or soya margarine
• 8 small pickling onions or shallots, peeled
• 110g chestnut mushrooms, wiped
• 50g button mushrooms, wiped
• 10ml Dijon mustard
• 30-45ml tamari or soy sauce
• freshly ground black pepper
• fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 225g vegetarian/vegan puff pastry, thawed if frozen

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place the soaked chestnuts, herbs and 5floz of wine in a saucepan with vegetable stock to cover and cook until just tender, approximately 50-60 minutes.
2. Drain the chestnuts, reserving the liquid.
3. Melt the butter or margarine in a frying pan and saute the onions until lightly browned.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the chestnuts, the remaining red wine and sufficient chestnut cooking liquor to cover.
6. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes to reduce the liquid a little.
7. Stir in the mustard, tamari and black pepper to taste. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
8. Check seasoning and consistency and adjust as necessary.
9. Spoon the mixture into a pie dish. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and place on top of filling.
10. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.