Beef Wellington with Red Wine Sauce

• Serves: 6

• Contributor: Mike Crute

Ingredients

• 2 1lb center-cut beef fillets (avoid ends)
• 1/2c English or Dijon mustard
• 1 lb mixed white and portobello mushrooms
• 1 sprig thyme
• 2 puff pastries (frozen works)
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 2 egg yolks, beaten with 1T of water
• 1 handful shelled, roasted, chestnuts (optional)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Sauce Ingredients

• 2T olive oil
• 1/2 lb beef trimmings
• 4 large shallots
• 12 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• 750ml red wine (like a cab)
• 750ml beef stock
• 1/2c butter-based golden-brown roux (for thickening)

Mushroom Sauce

• 2 cups mushroom stock unsalted
• 2 cups beef stock unsalted
• 1/3 cup cream
• 3/4 white onion (could try shallots)
• 1 stick butter unsalted
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• Thyme
• Rosemary (small amount)
• Tri-pepper
• White pepper
• Parsley
• Salt
• 1/4 cup red wine, cab
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 cup puréed wild mushrooms (dry wild mushrooms from Costco)
• 2 shakes Worcestershire sauce

Immersion blended.

Instructions

1. Wrap each piece of beef tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set its shape, then chill overnight.
2. Remove the cling film, then quickly sear the beef fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Remove from the pan, coat lightly with mustard, and leave to cool.

3. Finely chop the mushrooms and chestnuts then fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, the thyme leaves and some seasoning. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices, continue to cook over a high heat for about 15 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste (known as a duxelle). Remove the duxelle from the pan and leave to cool. This must be nearly dry, extra moisture will ruin the wellington

4. Cut the pastry in half, place on a lightly floured surface and roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to envelop one of the beef fillets. Chill in the refrigerator. Do not overlap the pastry, roll till the edges meet and trim excess pastry

5. Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface and place 4 slices of Parma ham in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to create a square. Spread half the duxelle evenly over the ham.
6. Season the beef fillets, then place them on top of the mushroom-covered ham. Using the cling film, roll the Parma ham over the beef, then roll and tie the cling film to get a nice, evenly thick log. Repeat this step with the other beef fillet, then chill for at least 30 minutes.
7. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Remove the cling film from the beef, then wrap the pastry around each ham-wrapped fillet. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, make the red wine sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the beef trimmings for a few minutes until browned on all sides. Stir in the shallots with the peppercorns, bay and thyme and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown.
9. Pour in the vinegar and let it bubble for a few minutes until almost dry. Now add the wine and boil until almost completely reduced. Add the stock and bring to the boil again. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, removing any scum from the surface of the sauce, until you have the desired consistency. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with muslin. Add roux until sauce is of desired thickness. Check for seasoning and set aside.
10. When you are ready to cook the beef wellingtons, score the pastry lightly and brush with the egg wash (using egg whites will not brown as much) again, then bake at 425F on a wire rack for 30-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked (the meat will gain 15-20 degrees while it rests). Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
11. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce. Serve the beef wellingtons sliced, with the sauce as an accompaniment.

Notes

This recipe is somewhat a work in progress. It will work as-is but these notes are to track continuous improvements.

• Adjust amount of duxels based on amount of meat
• Breading was thin and soggy, using one Safeway refrigerated puff for combined 2 1.5 lb tenderloins
• Consider making duxels a day early
• Consider oven cooking mushrooms for maximum dryness

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