Beef Wellington.
A bit labor intensive, but well worth it, time well spent.
I've learned that the three primary ingredients are all very important and worth every effort to do right.
The Beef needs to be a center cut of tenderloin for it to be an even thickness and tender as butter.
When you sear the beef have that pan smoking hot and use minimal oil.
The Duxelles need to be minced pretty fine, all the liquid cooked or squeezed out and it should have a thick, pasty consistency.
And lastly you should utilize an All-Butter puff pastry and keep it cold, work fast and re-chill as needed.
I also learned that corners can be cut and many liberties taken with the recipe, and still you can turn out a delicious entree.
Crepes, store bought crepes are great for easing the work load.
Pate is nice, but not absolutely needed.
The Menu
Beef Wellington
Grilled Vegetables
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Strawberries-n-Cream Crepes
Beef Wellington
Heavy on the salt-n-pepper.
In a smoking hot CI pan, get a good sear and then back into the fridge to cool.
You can brush the tenderloin with a good mustard if you wish.
Make your Duxelles.
Saute .5c of minced shallots and 2T of minced garlic in 3T of butter till opaque.
Add in 1lb of minced shrooms, 2T chopped thyme leaves, generously salt them and add .5t white pepper and saute over med-high heat, stirring often till the shrooms release their liquid and then cook off the liquid.
Add a little white wine and cook that off.
Let cool in the fridge.
Lay down your crepes.
Add thin layer of pate, or thin sliced dry cured ham like Parma or Prosciutto.
Atop that a thin layer of Duxelles.
Then lastly your tenderloin.
Roll like a burrito, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour to set.
Roll out your puff pastry with plenty of extra, paint with egg wash.
Place your 'Burrito' on the pastry and cover it, roll it, whatever, ideally you want the seams on the bottom.
Trim the edges close, avoid double layers of pastry dough as much as possible,
Seal the edges well, no holes, and egg wash the whole thing.
Add a lattice work covering if you wish, or just add some decorative slits on the top.
Into a preheated 400° oven, cook until the IT of the beef is 115°-125°, however done you desire.
Pull it 5°-10° before your target temp as the IT will continue to markedly rise.
The Gravy
The gravy gets an honorable mention here, it was really good.
That CI pan you seared the beef in, deglaze it with a bit of white wine.
Add in 4c of beef stock, stir and bring to a slow boil.
Transfer to a small sauce pan.
Strain through a tight sieve or cheesecloth.
Return to a rolling boil and reduce down to about 3/4c.
Add in 3T of butter.
Season with a pinch of black pepper.
Add enough corn starch/water mix to attain your desired thickness.
The Finale
Strawberries-n-Cream Crepes
So easy and so good.
A bit labor intensive, but well worth it, time well spent.
I've learned that the three primary ingredients are all very important and worth every effort to do right.
The Beef needs to be a center cut of tenderloin for it to be an even thickness and tender as butter.
When you sear the beef have that pan smoking hot and use minimal oil.
The Duxelles need to be minced pretty fine, all the liquid cooked or squeezed out and it should have a thick, pasty consistency.
And lastly you should utilize an All-Butter puff pastry and keep it cold, work fast and re-chill as needed.
I also learned that corners can be cut and many liberties taken with the recipe, and still you can turn out a delicious entree.
Crepes, store bought crepes are great for easing the work load.
Pate is nice, but not absolutely needed.
The Menu
Beef Wellington
Grilled Vegetables
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Strawberries-n-Cream Crepes
Beef Wellington
Heavy on the salt-n-pepper.
In a smoking hot CI pan, get a good sear and then back into the fridge to cool.
You can brush the tenderloin with a good mustard if you wish.
Make your Duxelles.
Saute .5c of minced shallots and 2T of minced garlic in 3T of butter till opaque.
Add in 1lb of minced shrooms, 2T chopped thyme leaves, generously salt them and add .5t white pepper and saute over med-high heat, stirring often till the shrooms release their liquid and then cook off the liquid.
Add a little white wine and cook that off.
Let cool in the fridge.
Lay down your crepes.
Add thin layer of pate, or thin sliced dry cured ham like Parma or Prosciutto.
Atop that a thin layer of Duxelles.
Then lastly your tenderloin.
Roll like a burrito, wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least an hour to set.
Roll out your puff pastry with plenty of extra, paint with egg wash.
Place your 'Burrito' on the pastry and cover it, roll it, whatever, ideally you want the seams on the bottom.
Trim the edges close, avoid double layers of pastry dough as much as possible,
Seal the edges well, no holes, and egg wash the whole thing.
Add a lattice work covering if you wish, or just add some decorative slits on the top.
Into a preheated 400° oven, cook until the IT of the beef is 115°-125°, however done you desire.
Pull it 5°-10° before your target temp as the IT will continue to markedly rise.
The Gravy
The gravy gets an honorable mention here, it was really good.
That CI pan you seared the beef in, deglaze it with a bit of white wine.
Add in 4c of beef stock, stir and bring to a slow boil.
Transfer to a small sauce pan.
Strain through a tight sieve or cheesecloth.
Return to a rolling boil and reduce down to about 3/4c.
Add in 3T of butter.
Season with a pinch of black pepper.
Add enough corn starch/water mix to attain your desired thickness.
The Finale
Strawberries-n-Cream Crepes
So easy and so good.
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