Cheats Pork Wellington with New Potatoes, Asparagus and Beans

Sometimes you just need some comfort food, especially on cold January nights. However, more often than not good comfort food takes a fair bit of preparation and a while to cook - Shepard's Pie, Stew, Beef Wellington. This alternative to the later is relatively quick and easy to cook and by using pork mince instead of beef also makes it a little different to the original. This recipe feeds four comfortably.

You will need

500g pork mince

1 white onion

250g mushrooms

2 cloves of garlic

Handful of fresh sage

2-4 tbsp of mustard (depending on your taste)

Filo pastry

400g new potatoes

8 sticks of asparagus

200g runner beans

How to

Preheat the oven to 200C/392F/Gas Mark 6.

Roughly chop the onion, mushrooms and garlic. 

Melt a teaspoon of butter in a large frying pan and add the onion, mushroom, garlic and sage leaves to soften. Stir occasionally.

While those ingredients are softening prepare your vegetables. Half the potatoes, trim the asparagus and take the ends of the beans before chopping them in half also. Put the potatoes in a pan and the asparagus and beans in a steamer pan ready for later.

Once the mushroom, onion mixture is softened take it off the heat and pour everything into a food processor. Blitz everything together until it forms a paste.

Heat a drizzle of oil in the same frying pan and slowly fry the mince until brown. Drain the fat from the mince and set aside.

Take five sheets of filo pastry (I used pre-made pastry, if you have the time and patience to make your own then go for it, but I have neither) and baste between each sheet with oil.

Once you've had basted each sheet I would recommend moving the pastry onto a baking tray. Spread the top sheet with mustard. I used about three tablespoons but I quite like mustard, if you really like it add more, not so keen, use less. Top the mustard with the mushroom, onion paste and then add the mince.

Once everything is evenly distributed carefully roll the pastry around the filling to create something that resembles a sausage roll. Glue the seal with oil before putting in the oven. Bake for between 20-30 minutes, or until crisp and lightly golden.

When you put the wellington in the oven bring the potatoes to the boil to cook and the greens to steam. 

Serve together and enjoy.