Lamb and spinach wellington recipe
This is a savoury bake that will wow the crowd at your next street party. Classic British wellington is given an Indian-inspired spin with a fragrant lamb filling. A real taste of Britain that's just as good eaten hot or cold.
See method- Serves 10
- 1 hr 30 mins plus cooling and chilling
- 461 calories / serving
- Freezable
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 1½ tsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 x 220g bags baby spinach
- 700g lamb mince
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted, plus 1 tsp to decorate
- 75g fresh breadcrumbs
- 100g dried apricots, finely chopped
- 75g pitted green olives
- 150g reduced-fat salad cheese, crumbled into 2cm chunks
- 550g pack ready-rolled puff pastry
- plain flour, for dusting
- 1 egg, plus 1 yolk, beaten
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- Tesco Finest tomato and chilli chutney, natural yogurt and mixed salad leaves, to serve (optional)
Each serving contains
- Energy
- 1930kJ 461.0kcal
- Fat
- 25g
- Saturates
- 11g
- Salt
- 1.1g
- Sugars
- 8g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 34.9gProtein 23.7gFibre 4.5g
Method
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Stir in the spices and cook for 1 min, then stir in the tomato purée. Scrape into a large bowl and leave to cool completely. Tip the spinach into the pan and cook, stirring, for 2-3 mins until wilted and reduced. Tip into a sieve and squeeze out as much moisture as you can; chop and set aside.
- When the onions are cool, add the lamb mince, toasted cumin seeds, breadcrumbs, apricots, spinach and olives; season. Use your hands to mix everything together well. Add the cheese and mix carefully.
- Unroll the pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the mince mixture into a 35cm-long sausage along one of the longer sides of the pastry, leaving a 4cm border at the edge. Brush the remaining exposed pastry with beaten egg. Fold the other half of the pastry over the meat and press the edges. Trim to leave a 3cm border all the way around, then press with a fork. Transfer to a baking tray, brush with egg and chill for 1 hr (or up to 48 hrs).
- Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Brush the wellington with more beaten egg, score the surface lightly with a sharp knife, then scatter over the poppy seeds and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Bake for 25 mins, then reduce the heat to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C and bake for a further 20-25 mins until the pastry base is crisp and deep brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20-25 mins. Slice and serve with chutney, yogurt and salad, if you like. Can be assembled 48 hrs ahead and kept chilled. Continue from step 4 to bake. Or make and bake the day before and enjoy cold.
- Cook's tip: Don’t skimp on the breadcrumbs. Lamb mince can release a lot of juices and the breadcrumbs are important to avoid a soggy bottom!
- See more Picnic recipes
Freezing and defrosting guidelines
In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.
- For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home
