Individual Beef Wellingtons Recipe
Every time that Tom and I would catch an episode of Hell's Kitchen, Tom would ask me why I hadn't made beef wellington yet. Have you ever noticed that it seems like the only three things the chefs on Hell's Kitchen must be able to make are beef wellington, risotto and scallops? While I have absolutely no interest in going on Hell's Kitchen, although I do like Gordon Ramsey's accent, I figured since I have making risotto down, I may as well move onto beef wellington.
I feel like a food snob when I say that I looked at the recipe and I wasn't even slightly scared to make it. Sure it had a lot of ingredients, but it didn't look difficult to prepare at all. Which is exactly how I felt about beef bourginon, risotto and croquembouche. I think I'm a cooking/baking oddity. Recipes that are time consuming and require a decent level of skill and great quantity of ingredients, I find to be easy and wonder what all of the fuss is about. But simpler recipes, like snickerdoodle cookies or omelettes, I just can't seem to master. I'm weird, what can I say?
Individual Beef Wellingtons
Source: Tyler Florence
Yield: 2 servings
Duxelles Ingredients:
- 8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 tbs. olive oil
- 1 tbs. unsalted butter
- 1 tbs. thyme
- salt and pepper
- Beef Ingredients:
- 2 filet mignon steaks, fat trimmed
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Remaining Ingredients:
- 2 slices prosciutto
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. thyme
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten
- salt and pepper
Duxelles Directions:
1. Combine the mushrooms, garlic, shallots and thyme in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil then mushroom mixture. Saute for 5-8 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Scoop mushroom mixture into a paper towel or clean kitchen towel and squeeze over the sink to remove any excess liquid. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
Directions:
1. Rub both sides of the filet with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Sear both pieces of beef on each side for 2 minutes. Set aside to rest.
3. Preheat the oven to 425. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the puff pastry.
4. Cut the puff pastry in half and place a slice of prosciutto on top of each half. Spread a thin layer of the duxelles on top of the porsciutto. Season the duxelles with salt, pepper and thyme.
5. Pat each slice of beef dry with paper towels then brush a thin layer of the Dijon mustard over all sides of the beef.
6. Place the beef on one side of the puff pastry and wrap the beef in the pastry, folding in the edges. Place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Cut small slits in the top of the puff pastry and then brush all over with the beaten egg.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until beef reaches desired temperature, as measured with a meat thermometer.
9. Let beef rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
I served this with roasted red potatoes and roasted parmesan asparagus. The potatoes were a little heavy to go along with the puff pastry on the beef so I'll look into some other side dish ideas for the next time.