The Ultimate Beef Wellington
Recipe courtesy Tyler
Florence, 2008
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
* 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
* Green Peppercorn Sauce, recipe follows
* Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
*
Warm Wilted Winter Greens, recipe follows
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
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, and Warm Wilted
Winter Greens.
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
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.