Beef Wellington

Pretty much everyone has heard of Beef Wellington. It is thrown about as a hoity-toity dish served at fancy-schmancy restaurants, and for the most part, that's correct.

While no one knows the exact history of the dish, it is generally agreed that it is a French dish, filet de beouf en crout, probably renamed for the Duke of Wellington, post Battle of Waterloo. It is a sumptuous combination of beef tenderloin, foie gras, duxelles and puff pastry.

Let's work one step at a time.

This is actually a lengthy entree to make, involving a number of different components, as listed above. Because of the controversial nature of foie gras and the prohibitive cost, I went with a more cost effective and, in my opinion, flavorful option. Country Pate. This can be made ahead. If wrapped tightly, it freezes well. It will keep several days in the fridge.

 Country Pate (recipe adapted from Bon Appetite's Pate de Campagne)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Sherry, Marsala or white wine
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup minced onion
• 2 1/2 pounds ground pork
• 12 ounces bacon (8 to 10 slices
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme (or two sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only, chopped)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

Preparation

• Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 350°F. Boil wine until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool.
• Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes.
• Combine ground pork and chopped bacon in large bowl. Using fork or fingertips, mix together until well blended. Add sautéed onion, garlic, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, thyme, and pepper to bowl with pork mixture and stir until incorporated. Add eggs, cream, and reduced wine. Stir until well blended.
• Grease 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan. Using hands, lightly and evenly press meat mixture into pan.
• Cover pan tightly with foil. Place pan in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan and transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake pâté until a thermometer inserted through foil into center registers 155°F.
• Remove loaf pan from baking pan and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Place heavy skillet or 2 to 3 heavy cans atop pâté to weigh down. Chill overnight. Can be made 4 days ahead.
• Place loaf pan with pâté in larger pan of hot water for about 3 minutes. Invert pâté onto platter. Cut into rectangles about the size of your beef portions, at a thickness of 1/4".

The next step is the duxelles. This is a fancy name for gussied up mushrooms.

Duxelles (adapted from Mushroom Duxelles: Intense and Refined)

Ingredients:

• 2 lb.mushrooms
• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter; divided
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme or 1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup dry vermouth, sherry, or white wine

Preparation:

1. Finely chop mushrooms in a food processor.
2. Scrape mushrooms out into a clean, cotton towel. (Note: Do not use terry cloth. I use a dark colored towel and rinse immediately after to avoid staining.)
3. Twist towel around mushrooms and wring out as much liquid as you can over the sink.
4. Chop onions in food processor as well.
5. Heat a large (10-inch) non-stick skillet over a burner set between medium and medium-high.
6. Add half the butter and swirl to melt and avoid burning.
7. Add mushrooms, onion, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and thyme.
8. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms appear dry and are beginning to brown.
9. Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter, and, when melted, the sherry or wine.
10. Cook, stirring frequently, until the wine has evaporated.
11. Remove from heat and cool. Use what you need for the wellington. Any remainder can be frozen for future use.

One thing I've found frustrating is sog. Working with juicy meat and puff pastry can be difficult. One way to avoid this is to add a layer of cooked puff pastry on the bottom of the wellington to absorb liquid.

Cut the pastry into squares and place on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 until browned.

On to the beef!

The tenderloin is one of the most coveted cuts of beef. It is tender, as the name suggests, and has a lovely flavor.

Image courtesy of Paula Deen (she's the best, ya'll.)

However, it can be pricey. Working for a small restaurant is like feeding a family. There is a strict budget and I will explore any way to keep costs low without sacrificing quality. That's why, when it came time for Beef Wellington this year, instead of using tenderloin at nearly $10 per pound, I turned to a little known muscle that will soon be hitting the spotlight: Teres Major. It is located in the "chuck" section of the chart above. That's right, the "chuck" section. Also known as a "petite tender", this cut is about a third the cost of tenderloin.

For my purposes, I made individual wellingtons. This meant fabricating 4-5oz portions of beef. Because it is so lean, nearly 100% of this muscle is usable. What doesn't turn into lovely portions of beef can be used for fast cooking dishes, seared and added to soup, anything you might need tender beef for.

 Salt and pepper the beef and sear each piece until it is browned on each side. It will only take two to three minutes. Be careful not to over cook the meat in the pan. Beef Wellington is supposed to served rare, so cooking is a little bit tricky.

Allow the beef to cool completely. In the meantime, collect all of the pieces to assemble your Beef Wellington puzzle.

From left to right, across the back: Pate, mustard (dijon or whole grain is preferable), duxelles, puff pastry squares, seared beef portions, egg wash. Front row: Puff pastry sheet, knife, greased baking sheets.

Let's start putting the pieces together. The easiest way I've found is to build this upside down. So, start with a piece of the puff pastry.

This 10" by 15" sheet is cut into 6 equal squares.

Working with one square at a time, stretch it slightly and place one piece of pate onto it.

Add a layer of mustard

Next comes a spoonful of duxelles

Next comes the beef

Add a piece of the baked puff pastry

Bring in the corners of pastry and make a little packet, sealing the bottom

Turn it right-side up and brush with egg wash

I used small letter cutters to monogram the wellingtons. This step is option, of course, but adds a nice touch. Use a small knife and prick at each corner. This will allow the steam to vent and help make sure your puff pastry is crispy. At this point, if you are baking immediately, put into a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. You'll want to use a thermometer to check how done these are. Stick it through the side to avoid destroying the top. When the thermometer reads 125, pull them from the oven. These can also be covered and refrigerated for several hours.

If they are not as golden as you would like, I've found a couple of minutes under the broiler makes the difference. But, keep a close eye out so they don't burn. 

From the trial run of the menu, I served the beef wellington with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans amandine

If you try this recipe, give me a shout out. I'd love to know how it worked for you.