Chef Ray Miller,
York The Hotel
The East Indian-inspired sauce spices up this vegan dish with exotic flair. Local wild rice adds chewy nutiness. While phyllo pastry is traditionally layered with butter, Chef Ray uses olive oil to keep the dish vegan, but just as tasty.
Ingredients
Strudel
2 cups wild rice, cooked
2 ½ cups lentils, cooked
3 Tbsp shallots, minced
2 Tbsp tomatoes, chopped
2/3 cup spinach, steamed and drained
¼ cup olive oil
8 sheets phyllo pastry
Sauce
1 cup canola oil
2 large onions, diced
4 large tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 large cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 pinch saffron
6 cups cold water
Method
Strudel
1. In a med saucepan over med-high heat, sauté shallots in 2 Tbsp of the olive oil.
2. Add tomatoes and cook approx 3 min, stirring constantly.
3. Add wild rice, lentils and spinach. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Remove from heat and refrigerate until cool.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Lay 4 sheets of phyllo pastry onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Brush with remaining olive oil.
7. Top each phyllo sheet with another. Along the short edge of each sheet, place ¼ of the lentil and wild rice mixture.
8. Gently roll each sheet, tucking the sides in along the way. Brush tops with olive oil.
9. Bake for approx 12–14 min, or until golden brown.
Sauce
1. In a large saucepan over high heat, heat oil.
2. Sauté peppercorns and cinnamon stick until fragrance is released.
3. Add onions and tomatoes and continue cooking until most of the liquid has been cooked out of the onions and tomatoes.
4. Add water and bring mixture to a boil.
5. Add tomato paste and reduce heat to med.
6. Add saffron and reduce liquid by 2/3. Remove from heat.
7. Strain sauce into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tasting Notes
The lentils add a contrasting velvety texture to the chewiness of the wild rice. The sauce adds layers of complexity, with the saffron the dominant flavour and cinnamon adding a spicy, warm accent. A peppery kick rises at the finish.
Yield 4 servings