Beef Wellington. Reading that you may think that it’s an illustrious dish named in honor of the Duke of Wellington, but that isn’t the case at all. No-one knows exactly where the origin of this puff pastry filet wrapped beef comes from. It’s a part of British cuisine and very similar to the French filet de boeuf en croute. Duxelle is a fine mince of mushrooms, shallots and garlic used as stuffing and sauces. In this recipe it’s mixed with some sherry and fresh thyme. dijon and goose liver paté.
2-3 filet mignons – cut about 1½” thick and cut into 1’ cubes
1 LB of cremini mushrooms – minced
2 shallots – minced
2 garlic cloves – minced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1½ TBSP of Grey Poupon mustard
1 PKG of goose liver paté
Puff pastry
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
2 TBSP sherry wine
SAUCE
2 cups of sherry wine
1 cup of dried cherries
3 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP fresh chopped rosemary
2 TBSP butter
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
PREHEAT OVEN TO 425F
In a saucepan add the sherry, cherries, sugar, rosemary, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes till it has thickened. Whisk in 2 TBSP butter and blend with immersion blender.
In a deep skillet, add the minced shallots and garlic and sauté with a bit of butter and olive oil. Add the creminis, the 2 TBSP sherry wine and the thyme sprigs. Sauté till very tender and the liquids have evaporated and the duxelle is soft.
Salt and pepper the cubes of filet mignon. In a bowl add the duxelle mixture while still warm and incorporate the paté and the mustard. Check for seasonings. Cut enough squares (about 2½ inches) of the puff pastry (make sure it is still very cold from the fridge) to match however many pieces of filet you’ve cut into squares. Place a tablespoon of the duxelle mixture on the pastry and the cube of filet on top. Wrap like a small Christmas present, rolling and then tucking the sides under. Brush the tops with egg wash and place them in a cookie sheet lined with some foil, previously sprayed with some olive oil.
Bake them for about 10 minutes (for medium rare) or 12 for medium doneness. Serve with the sherry sauce.
NOTE
This is a very easy and elegant appetizer dish that will win you many accolades. The duxelle mixture with the paté creates unbelievable umami flavoring, making these bites criminally good. The accompanying sauce is almost like a compote that is a match made in heaven with the beef and the pastry.
