Beef Wellington Recipe
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Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: For the Duxelles:
3 pints (1 1/2 pounds) white button mushrooms
2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Beef:
1 (3-pound) center cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 thin slices prosciutto
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
1 pound puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Minced chives, for garnish
For the Green Peppercorn Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 cup brandy
1 box beef stock
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
1/2 cup green peppercorns in brine, drained, brine reserved
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Directions: |
Directions:To make the Duxelles:
Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
To prepare the beef:
Tie the tenderloin in 4 places so it holds its cylindrical shape while cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - about 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (plastic needs to be about a foot and a half in length so you can wrap and tie the roast up in it) on top of your cutting board. Shingle the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire filet of beef. Using a rubber spatula cover evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. When the beef is seared, remove from heat, cut off twine and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef - saving ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.
Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife - this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest before cutting into thick slices. Garnish with minced chives, and serve with Green Peppercorn Sauce.
For the Green Peppercorn Sauce:
Add olive oil to pan after removing beef. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme; saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then, off heat, add brandy and flambe using a long kitchen match. After flame dies down, return to the heat, add stock and reduce by about half. Strain out solids, then add 2 cups cream and mustard. Reduce by half again, then shut off heat and add green peppercorns. |
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Number Of
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Number Of
Servings:6-8 |
Preparation
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Preparation
Time:Many hours |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: When I was growing up, I loved visiting my dad’s parents Les and Ruby in Audubon, Iowa. On one visit, I cooked Beef Wellington for dinner. Recently, when Grandma Ruby and I were reminiscing, we realized we had very different recollections of that dinner. We decided it would be fun for each of us to share our memory of that evening in the family cookbook.
I have long since forgotten where I found the recipe I made that night. The one included here is from the Food Network’s Tyler Florence and I can’t say I’ve ever cooked it. So, best of luck to you, if you dare, but don’t call me if you end up with a gloppy mess of puff pastry and peppercorns.
Grandma Ruby’s Recollection of the Wonderful Meal Marget Cooked for her and Les:
Being a grandparent is a special joy and when Marget traveled alone from Vermont to Audubon you knew it was going to be special. Marget did this several times but on this time she gave us a real treat.
She planned and cooked a complete meal for us. “You will need to get me to the store,” she said. That was easily managed up to the point of telling me it was to be Beef Wellington requiring a particular cut of meat. My style was to choose what was in the display case, but not so this time. We had a quiet discussion, I thought, but we were being observed by the butcher who sensed or maybe overheard us. He spoke directly to Marget asking if he could help her. She capably and confidently asked for the cut of beef required for her meal. The butcher smiled and seemed to enjoy his new young customer. Grandma learned, it doesn't hurt to ask for something you really need. Marget had her ingredient and lovingly cooked and served her loving grandparents a delicious meal.
Marget’s Recollection of the Beef Wellington Disaster:
By the time I was 17, I had become a competent home cook. When I visited my grandparents in Audubon that spring I couldn't wait to show-off my new culinary skills. As any Brue or Brue by marriage knows, this is a family not unconcerned by what’s for dinner and I was determined to impress. Sadly, it never occurred to me that my grandparents would be thrilled with anything I made and I spent the afternoon pouring over recipe books. I decided that Beef Wellington, was the fanciest, most complicated dish I could cook. I made a shopping list and Grandma and I headed to the Super-Valu.
At the Super Valu, Grandma and I began shopping. When we arrived at the butcher counter, I asked for 2 pounds of beef tenderloin. The butcher told me that he didn’t carry beef tenderloin. Remembering that beef tenderloin is just a large piece of filet mignon, I asked if he didn’t have any T-bones on hand (this was Iowa after all). The butcher told me that yes, he did carry T-bones. I then suggested that he cut the filet mignon out of each T-bone and I would make mini Beef Wellingtons. Grandma gasped and the butcher stared at me bug-eyed for a moment. But, I stood my ground, these quit Iowa-types weren’t going to stare down this perky 17 year old from Vermont. I added that the store could sell the remaining portions of the T-bones as New York strips (no doubt, the butcher found this tip very helpful). After composing himself and taking a deep breath, the butcher responded, “I don’t suppose there is any reason I couldn’t do that.” I said, “Thanks,” and walked away. Grandma stayed behind and talked with butcher a while. When grandma caught up with me, I asked her what had taken her so long. She said, “Well, I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.” I informed her that everything was fine and that I asked for special cuts of meat all the time back home. She said something to the effect of, “I see honey,” and we continued to shop.
After we returned to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, I made the Beef Wellington. The resulting dish was a soggy mess of puff pastry and overcooked filet mignon. Grandma told me she loved it and Grandpa muttered something about it being a little sophisticated for him. No doubt, he said a silent prayer for the T-bone he might have eaten.
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