The Impossible Asian Wellington

One hundred chefs were shipped Impossible Food’s groundbreaking plant-based meat in order to show off its limitless possibilities and to compete in a recipe contest. Here is my grand prize-winning recipe for the Impossible Asian Inspired Wellington, with hoisin ginger-spiced mushroom duxelles & spinach.

Judge’s comments from Chefs Roll a professional Chefs’ network 

We were blown away by this entry from the start of the contest. It would be a strong enough entry in a non-Impossible Foods contest, for the way it fuses Asian flavors with the traditional Wellington preparation, but the fact that it does so while making the Impossible meat look so medium-rare and juicy takes it to a whole separate level.”

Plant-based diets: 

The Impossible Asian-inspired Wellington is meatless, created with heme, wheat protein, potato protein, soy protein, and coconut oil. Sounds like something the characters from the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” would have stacked in their pantry on the way to visit the legendary planet Magrathea. Frankly, the meatless burger once and for all proves that future food production, with all the technology available today, will be even more exciting than we can imagine. The Impossible Burger – Asian-inspired Wellington is a recipe that utilizes the Impossible Burger as the center stage ingredient. Veggie burgers have been around forever, from black bean burgers to quinoa burgers.

Meatless Meat: 

I know you will agree, meatless meat is roaring into the food scene as a lifestyle change, not a trend. The impossible Wellington is a home run and the fact that it is meatless changes the playing field. Plant-based sustainable diets that are nutritionally balanced and full of flavor are on the move. There is no doubt about it, adding “meatless meat” to the picture was only a matter of time. I was trained using classical recipes where ingredients never ever changed. Breaking the law and changing a classic was unheard of. Creating a meatless version of a classic is something that not long ago would have been impossible and very bizarre. The only classic ingredient in the impossible version of the Wellington is the puff pastry and the mushroom duxelles, of course, without the Asian spices.

A culinary adventure:

I have adapted to different cuisines all my life, from ethnic foods to classical French to Nouvelle cuisine. I’m always adventurous enough to want to try different flavors and different dishes, so cooking with meatless meat is just another culinary adventure. The Impossible Wellington is an interesting recipe and one should wonder what food scientists have up their sleeve for the future. Will everyone be a vegan with the plant-based diet the only thing we eat? Will ordering real beef be considered a special occasion meal? Will everyone use a Hapifork, an electronic fork that helps you monitor and track your eating habits. FYI, the fork also alerts you with the help of indicator lights and gentle vibrations when you are eating too fast. I believe real meat will never go away and the Impossible Beef is a great alternative for those looking for a meat substitute.

Beef Wellington:

Beef Wellington is one of those dishes that we all agree on, tastes – oh so good and there will always be the need to indulge in something that is a classic dish. The story behind the beef Wellington is that the dish was created in celebration of the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. That was the day the French army under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated by the Duke of Wellington, and a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher. It is amazing to research the history of food and all the stories behind recipes.

The Impossible Asian Wellington

The Taste:

Simply delicious, the flavor of the impossible meat is really good.
The ginger hoisin mushrooms add a ton of Umami.
“Meat” is maybe a little stringy – I don’t think they’ve quite gotten there on texture… yet.

The Process

It takes some time to assemble the Wellington’s.
However, the work pays off with the presentation and flavors.

The Verdict

For a Wellington that uses a plant-based burger, the dish rocks.
Pretty impressive, you would never know these Wellingtons are made with meatless meat.
The Impossible Burger is very tasty and can replicate the joy of eating a greasy burger without guilt.

The Impossible Asian Wellington

Chef Norbert

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 1 hr 20 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 People

Calories 341 kcal

Ingredients

  

0.5x1x2x3x

Wellington

• 12 ounce Impossible Burger meat
• 2 each puff pastry sheets 10" x 15"
• 1 egg

Mushroom Duxelles

• 14 ounce Cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 each onion cut in 1/2" dice
• 1 tsp garlic minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, ground fresh, peeled, julienned
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil extra virgin
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
• 1 tbsp Gochugaru

Spinach

• 1/4 ounce spinach fresh
• 1/2 each onion medium, diced
• 1 tbsp ginger, ground fresh, peeled, julienned
• 1 tsp garlic minced
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 pinch sea salt, fine ground
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

 

Make the Mushroom Duxelles

• Cut mushrooms into quarters. Wash under running cold water to clean. In a saucepan heat sesame and olive oil to a medium heat. Add diced onions, sliced garlic, ginger julienne, and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms start to brown. Add white wine, stir and cook until wine is evaporated. Add hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and Korean Gochugaru pepper, stir and sauté until mushrooms are browned and caramelized. Remove mushrooms from the pan, deglaze the pan with a little water scrap pan with a spoon to get all the leftover caramelized bits and pieces that remain in the pan. Reduce to a thick syrup, add chopped cilantro to the mushrooms. Chop in robot coupe to a Duxelles. Set aside.
  14 ounce Cremini mushrooms, 1/2 each onion, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tbsp ginger, ground, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp cilantro, 1 tbsp Gochugaru

Cook the Spinach

• In pot heat olive oil and sesame oil to a medium heat. Add diced onions, minced garlic, ginger julienne, and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes . Add spinach, lemon zest and cook over moderate heat until spinach collapses, cook until liquid has evaporated. Season with one tablespoon of hoisin sauce and sea salt. Remove from pot and set aside.
  1/2 each onion, 1 tbsp ginger, ground, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 pinch sea salt, fine ground, 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1/4 ounce spinach

Make the Wellington

• Using a ring mold, form 3 ounces of the impossible burger into 2 x 2-inch pucks. Heat saucepan, add one teaspoon olive oil, and quickly sear the impossible burger pucks on all sides to get that wonderful crust. Set aside. Defrost puff pastry sheets, place the puff pastry on the flour-dusted table, using bowls as a template, cut 4 circles of 4 inches in diameter. Cut another 4 circles that are 6 inches inches in diameter.
  12 ounce Impossible Burger meat, 2 each puff pastry
• Place a 2-inch circle of about 2 tablespoons of sautéed spinach in the center of a 4-inch puff pastry circle, top with a seared burger puck. Top burger puck with 2 tablespoons of the Asian mushroom Duxelles. Brush the rim of the 4-inch puff pastry circle with egg. Overlay with a 6-inch puff pastry circle, wrap and shape the puff pastry around the impossible burger puck. Using a fork, crimp and seal the puff pastry. Trim pastry as necessary and brush with the remaining egg. Use leftover pastry and cut circles or leaves for garnish. Brush leaves or circles with egg and decorate the Wellington
  1 egg

Bake the Wellington

• Bake in a preheated convection oven at 375 F for 16 minutes, until the pastry has a nice golden color.

Nutrition

Serving: 10 ounce | Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 506mg | Potassium: 782mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate

Keyword Meat

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!