I’m always looking for new ways to do beets. I came across Gordon Ramsey’s recipe for Beets Wellington. I didn’t have most of the ingredients that he used so I made up my own way to do it including the pastry…(and my pastry came out extra delicious too!). This recipe make about 6 portions.

Ingredients for around 6 portions

1 cup flour + more for dusting – pastry

1/4 teaspoon sea salt – pastry

1/4 teaspoon baking powder – pastry

8 Tablespoons sweet butter cut into pats – a colder than room temperature – pastry

1/4 cup cream cheese – pastry

1 lb beets – trimmed and peeled (I had three beets)

2 cups red wine vinegar

1 cup red wine

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 oz. scant star anise

1 Tablespoon mustard seeds

1 Tablespoon sweet better – duxcelle

10 oz mushrooms – chopped small – duxcelle

1 small leeks – trimmed – sliced extra thin on a mandolin – small chopped – duxcelle (If desired reserve around a Tablespoon of leeks for finishing pastry)

2 garlic cloves – ground to paste – duxcelle

1 teaspoon dried thyme – duxcelle

optional – 2 Tablespoons smoked mushroom powder – www.SunValleyHarvest.com – duxcelle

sea salt – to taste – duxcelle

ground black pepper – to taste – duxcelle

3 rice paper wrappers (you need one wrapper for each beet)

I Tablespoon everything bagel seasoning – for sprinkling on the pastry.

1 beaten egg yolk

non stick spray

Make the pastry.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Use an extra large fork or pastry masher to hand cut up the butter pats in the flour mixture till the butter is around the size of peas. Stir in the cream cheese and give it a few kneads. Dust the dough with flour and roll it out and fold it into thirds. Leave this chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. Cover with plastic wrap.

Braise the beets.

Beets go in a sauce pot with vinegar, wine, water, sugar, star anise, and mustard seeds. Give it a stir and bring to boil and then reduce to simmer and continue simmering until beets are fork tender. (You will need to add more water to the pot as the water goes down) Depending on the size and freshness of your beets timing will differ……could be less than 30 minutes and could be more. When beets are done remove them from the braising liquid. Set beets to the side and cover with plastic wrap.

Make Duxcelle

Melt butter in a sauce pan on medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and leeks and cook till slightly brown. Lower heat to medium low and add salt and pepper. Cook till all the liquid is evaporated. Add thyme and smoked mushroom powder (if using). Blend and set to the side.

Wrap beets with duxcelle and rice paper.

Rice paper gets pliable when you set it in a bath of warm water for a second. Take the rice paper out and spread it with 1/3 of the duxcelle (or 1/4 if you have four beets). Place beet in the middle and wrap. Repeat for each beet.

Get baking sheet(s) ready for the beets. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and spray paper with non stick spray and set to the side.

Set oven to 400 degrees F and have a middle rack ready for your pans.

You pastry gets cut in thirds. One third for each beet. Wrap each beet with pastry the best you can and place on sprayed parchment lined baking sheet.

Paint each pastry with egg yolk

Sprinkle each pastry with everything bagel seasoning

If desired sprinkle each pastry with some leeks

Place sheet pan in pre-heated 400 degree F oven till pastry is golden brown and looks done. Timing will differ. Mine were done in around 30 minutes.

Enjoy!