From Angie's Kitchen: Individual Beef Wellingtons and Whipped Potatoes

My youngest sister, Angie made this lovely Christmas Eve dinner of Beef Wellington and Whipped Potatoes. She sent these pictures long ago and I am finally getting around to posting this. It's now or never. Today is the 1st of March. Spring is just around the corner(I can only hope!). In another month or so, the only steak recipes that I will feature will involve a grill. However, since snow is flying in a blur outside of my window at this very moment, these little Beef Wellingtons seem just right. I was unable to join my sister on Christmas Eve, but this does look delicious.

Alright, I'll let my little sis take it from here:



Season both sides of each tenderloin with salt and pepper.


Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef tenderloin and sear for 1 minute.


Flip and sear for a minute on the other side. Remove to a plate and cool completely.


Now to make the Mushroom Duxelles. Melt a tablespoon of butter in your skillet. Cook and stir the green onions or shallots and garlic for 30 seconds.


Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to caramelize, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan, until all of the liquid has evaporated. This is where I messed up and put 1 ½ cups of wine instead of 2-1/2 tablespoons of wine. You can tell what was on my mind (a little Christmas cheer, perhaps?) I corrected it and drained the wine and it still turned out okay! Remove from heat and let cool before using.



Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 14 inch square, and cut into 4- 7 inch squares. (I had to use the puff pastry shells- they are circles so I rolled them out to close dimensions, it also worked!)



Spread one quarter of the mushroom duxelles on top of each filet and top with one slice of pate and press to flatten. If you're using pate, that is.(Ewww.) Place 1 filet mushroom side down in the center of the puff pastry square.


Using a pastry brush or your finger, paint the inside edges of the pastry with egg wash. Fold the pastry over the filet as though wrapping a package and press the edges to seal. Place the packages seam side down on the baking sheet.


Brush the egg wash over the tops and sides of each package.


Bake until pastry is golden brown and an instant read thermometer shows 140 degrees for medium rare, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Note: the plain beef tenderloin was for a non-mushroom lover.


I served these yummy Beef Wellingtons with whipped potatoes (recipe below) and corn. A lovely Christmas Eve dinner before heading to church!


Individual Beef Wellingtons
4 (6 ounce) thickly cut filet mignons (I used beef tenderloin)
1 t. salt
½ freshly ground black pepper
1 T. olive oil
(It also called for 4-1 ounce slices of goose or duck liver or pork country style pate- I didn’t use this!)
Mushroom Duxelles- recipe below
One half frozen pastry puff (1 sheet), thawed (Or puff pastry shells work if that’s all your grocery store has!)
1 large egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water to make egg wash

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Season both sides of each filet with ¼ t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the filets and sear for 1 minute on each side for medium rare. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.

Make Mushroom Duxelles:
1 T. unsalted butter
2 T. minced shallots- I used green onions
½ t. minced garlic
10 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean, stemmed and finely chopped
¼ t. salt
1/8 t. freshly ground white pepper- I used black
2 ½ T. dry white wine
Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to caramelize, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan, until all of the liquid has evaporated. (this is where I messed up and put 1 ½ c. of wine- you can tell what was on my mind, I corrected it and drained the wine and it still turned out okay!) Remove from heat and let cool before using.

Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 14 inch square, and cut into 4- 7 inch squares. (I had to use the puff pastry shells- they are circles so I rolled them out to close dimensions, it also worked!)

Spread one quarter of the mushroom duxelles on top of each filet and top with one slice of pate and press to flatten- if using pate! Place 1 filet mushroom side down in the center of the puff pastry square. Using a pastry brush or your finger, paint the inside edges of the pastry with egg wash. Fold the pastry over the filet as though wrapping a package and press the edges to seal. Place the packages seam side down on the baking sheet. Brush the egg wash over the tops and sides of each package and bake until pastry is golden brown and in instant read thermometer reads 140 degrees for medium rare, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes.

Whipped Potatoes
2 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled, quartered and cooked
1 (3oz) pkg softened cream cheese
½ to ¾ c. sour cream
¼ c. butter, softened
½ t. garlic salt
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mash potatoes. Add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, garlic salt, salt & Pepper; mix until smooth. Transfer to a greased 1 ½ quart baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika (if desired) Bake, uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.


Thank you, Angie! I'm thinking that I might not wait until the next holiday season to try out this recipe. I don't blame ya for leaving out the pate. We're not liver lovers here either. I have tried liver in many ways...cooked with onions, as pate, in casserole...and I have never enjoyed it. I guess my taste is just not terribly refined. ; )

Krista

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