Mushroom Parcels With Sun-Dried Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 ounces butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 1/2 lbs mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces round slices goat cheese
• 1 lb premade puff pastry
• 1 large free-range egg, beaten

For the sauce

• 18 fluid ounces vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves, bruised
• 4 teaspoons green peppercorns in brine, drained and lightly crushed
• 10 fluid ounces port wine
• 7 fluid ounces red wine
• 4 ounces sun-dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons single cream

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. 2

   Place the vegetable stock for the sauce into a pan and boil rapidly until it has reduced by half; Set aside.

3. 3

   Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and saute gently for five minutes until soft.

4. 4

   Add the mushrooms and continue to saute for 5-8 minutes, until the mushrooms release their moisture.

5. 5

   Tip into a colander and set over a bowl to drain and go cold; season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6. 6

   Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface into eight 8 inch squares; trim the edges neatly (You may have some pastry left over.).

7. 7

   Place a slice of cheese on each square of pastry and top each one with the mushroom mixture.

8. 8

   Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg and then bring the opposite corners together over the top of the filling to make a square parcel - Pinch the edges together well to seal and then crimp each edge to give them a nice finish.

9. 9

   Chill for at least 20 minutes.

10. 10

    Place the parcels on two lightly buttered baking trays and brush with the remaining beaten egg.

11. 11

    Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until crisp and golden.

12. 12

    Meanwhile, for the sauce, heat the oil in a small pan, add the shallot and saute until soft.

13. 13

    Add the thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, reduced vegetable stock, port and wine and boil until reduced by two-thirds to about 250ml/8fl oz.

14. 14

    Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan, bring back to the boil and add the cream.

15. 15

    Leave to simmer gently until slightly thickened.

16. 16

    Add the cranberries to the sauce at the last minute.

17. 17

    Check seasoning and serve with mushroom parcel.