Beef Wellington For Two Recipes

Steps:

• For the Duxelles:
• 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.
• For the Beef:
• 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, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Fresh Herbs and Garlic, and Warm Wilted Winter Greens.
• 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.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place a baking sheet inside to heat.
• Add potatoes, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic to a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove sheet pan from oven, lightly coat with olive oil, and pour potatoes onto pan. Place potatoes in oven and reduce heat to 425 degrees F. Roast for 20 minutes, or until crispy on outside and tender on inside.
• Cook honey and balsamic together over medium-high heat in a large saute pan, about 5 minutes. Toast walnuts in a small skillet; set aside to cool.
• Pile greens on a platter. Stir mustard into balsamic-honey dressing, then whisk in about 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil; pour over greens. Season greens with salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts, pomegranate seeds, shavings of Parmesan, and shallot.

Steps:

• Sprinkle steaks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a large skillet, brown steaks in 1 tablespoon oil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and refrigerate until chilled., In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in remaining oil until tender. Stir in remaining salt and pepper; cool to room temperature., Preheat oven to 425°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a 14x9-1/2-in. rectangle. Cut into two 7-in. squares (use scraps to make decorative cutouts if desired). Place a steak in the center of each square; top with mushroom mixture. Lightly brush pastry edges with water. Bring opposite corners of pastry over steak; pinch seams to seal tightly., Place in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Cut four small slits in top of pastry. Arrange cutouts over top if desired. Brush with egg., Bake 25-30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
• Place beef in a small baking dish, and spread each filet with 1 teaspoon softened butter. Bake for 10 minutes, or until browned. Remove from pan, and allow to cool completely.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Add red wine and reduce for 2 minute Remove from heat, and let cool.
• Roll out the puff pastry dough, cut in thirds and place beef in the center. Mix together pate and 1 tablespoon softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread pate over beef. Top with onion and mushroom mixture.
• Fold up, and seal all the edges, making sure the seams are not too thick. Reserve the final third of pastry for another use. (cut in half and fill with chocolate chips and raspberry jam and bake along side for an easy dessert).
• Place beef in a 9x9 inch baking dish, cut a few slits in the top of the dough, and brush with melted butter.
• Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees F for 10 more minutes, or until pastry is a rich, golden brown.

Steps:

• In a food processor, place mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme and blend into a fine paste (about 30-60 seconds).
• Transfer to a medium-sized frying pan, being sure to spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan.
• Cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat while stirring frequently. After about 7-10 minutes the mushroom mixture should shrink to half the original volume and begin to form a paste.
• NOTE: The goal here is to cook off the bulk of the water inside the mushrooms. This'll keep the puff pastry from being too mushy at the end.
• At this point, remove the mushroom mixture from the heat and set it aside.
• Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
• Liberally season the outside of the tenderloin pieces with salt and pepper.
• In another medium-sized frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over high heat. Once the oil has begun to smoke, quickly sear the tenderloin pieces on both sides (45-60 seconds per-side).
• Once seared, transfer the meat to a plate or cutting board to rest.
• Using a basting brush, generously paint the mustard over the resting pieces of beef, making sure to coat both sides.
• To assemble the Wellingtons, lay out a piece of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Place a piece of ham in the center of the pasty.
• Next, layer about 1 tablespoon of the mushroom mixture on the center of the ham using the back of a spoon to flatten the paste to about the size of the tenderloin pieces.
• Place one of the mustard-coated beef fillet on top of the mushroom mixture, then top the piece of beef with another spoonful of the mushroom mixture, making sure to pat it down flat across the top of the meat.
• Layer with another piece of ham and close the the Wellington by folding the puff pastry over the center of the meat.
• Using your hands, carefully seal the edges of the pastry then transfer SEAM-SIDE DOWN to a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
• Lightly brush the outside of each Wellington with egg wash.
• Using the back of a paring knife, lightly score the tops of the pasty in a checkered pattern, being careful not to pierce the pastry.
• Bake the Wellingtons in a 400˚F (200˚C) oven until the pastry is fully cooked and golden brown (about 20 minutes).
• Allow each Wellington to rest at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Working in two batches, pulse the mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 15 pulses. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and thyme and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and cook, stirring often toward the end, until dry and starting to form small crumbles, 25 to 28 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cognac. Carefully return the skillet to the heat (the cognac may ignite) and continue cooking until the mushroom mixture is dry and the alcohol cooks off, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and season with kosher salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, season the beef all over with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a separate large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, turning, until browned on all sides (including the ends), about 8 minutes. Transfer the beef to a rack and let cool.
• Overlap 2 sheets of plastic wrap on a work surface to make a large rectangle (about 22 by 30 inches) with a short side in front of you. Arrange the prosciutto slices crosswise on the plastic wrap in overlapping rows to form a rectangle slightly longer than the beef and wide enough to completely wrap it with a slight overlap. (You might not use all of the prosciutto.) Spread the mushroom mixture over the prosciutto, pressing gently. Cut the ties off the beef and brush it all over with the mustard. Place the beef on top of the prosciutto-mushroom mixture, perpendicular to the prosciutto slices. Tightly roll the prosciutto-mushroom mixture around the beef, using the plastic wrap to help you roll. Twist and tie the ends of the plastic wrap to help the roast hold an even shape. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Roll the puff pastry into a 14-by-15-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; if using 2 smaller sheets of pastry, press the ends together before rolling out, then trim as needed. Brush the pastry all over with the beaten egg. Remove the plastic wrap from the beef and place the beef on the pastry. Carefully roll the pastry around the beef, overlapping the ends at the seam; trim off any excess pastry, if needed, then pinch the seams together. Turn seam-side down. Fold in the pastry on the two open ends, trimming off any excess. Refrigerate until the pastry is cold and firm, about 1 hour.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 425˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the beef seam-side down on the baking sheet and brush all over with the beaten egg. Score lines in the pastry with the dull side of a paring knife (don't cut through the pastry) and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the pastry is crisp and dark golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the center of the beef registers 110˚ F for rare to 120˚ F for medium rare, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet and let rest 15 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with more flaky salt and chives.