Healthier Beef Wellington Recipes

THE ULTIMATE BEEF WELLINGTON

Steps:

• For the Duxelles:
• 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.
• For the Beef:
• 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 Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.
• 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 with Fresh Herbs and Garlic, and Warm Wilted Winter Greens.
• 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.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place a baking sheet inside to heat.
• Add potatoes, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic to a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove sheet pan from oven, lightly coat with olive oil, and pour potatoes onto pan. Place potatoes in oven and reduce heat to 425 degrees F. Roast for 20 minutes, or until crispy on outside and tender on inside.
• Cook honey and balsamic together over medium-high heat in a large saute pan, about 5 minutes. Toast walnuts in a small skillet; set aside to cool.
• Pile greens on a platter. Stir mustard into balsamic-honey dressing, then whisk in about 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil; pour over greens. Season greens with salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts, pomegranate seeds, shavings of Parmesan, and shallot.

BEEF WELLINGTON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place beef in a small baking dish, and spread with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until browned. Remove from pan, and allow to cool completely. Reserve pan juices.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool.
• Mix together pate and 2 tablespoons softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread pate over beef. Top with onion and mushroom mixture.
• Roll out the puff pastry dough, and place beef in the center. Fold up, and seal all the edges, making sure the seams are not too thick. Place beef in a 9x13 inch baking dish, cut a few slits in the top of the dough, and brush with egg yolk.
• Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 to 15 more minutes, or until pastry is a rich, golden brown. Set aside, and keep warm.
• Place all reserved juices in a small saucepan over high heat. Stir in beef stock and red wine; boil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Strain, and serve with beef.

BEEF WELLINGTON

Steps:

• Preheat a large frying pan on a high heat. Rub the beef all over with sea salt and black pepper. Pour a good lug of oil into the pan, then add the beef, 1 knob of butter and 1 sprig of rosemary.
• Sear the beef for 4 minutes in total, turning regularly with tongs, then remove to a plate.
• Wipe out the pan and return to a medium heat. Peel the onion and garlic, then very finely chop with the mushrooms and put into the pan with the remaining knob of butter and another lug of oil.
• Strip in the rest of the rosemary leaves and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft and starting to caramelise, stirring regularly.
• Toss the livers and Worcestershire sauce into the pan and cook for another few minutes, then tip the contents onto a large board and drizzle with the truffle oil (if using).
• Finely chop it all by hand with a big knife, to a rustic, spreadable consistency. Taste and season to perfection, then stir in the breadcrumbs (you can use pancakes to line the pastry and absorb the juices, but I prefer using breadcrumbs like this).
• Preheat the oven to 210°C/425°F/gas 7.
• On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the pastry to 30cm x 40cm. With one of the longer edges in front of you, spread the mushroom pâté over the pastry, leaving a 5cm gap at either end and at the edge furthest away from you - eggwash these edges.
• Sit the beef on the pâté then, starting with the edge nearest to you, snugly wrap the pastry around the beef, pinching the ends to seal.
• Transfer the Wellington to a large baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, with the pastry seal at the base, and brush all over with eggwash (you can prep to this stage, then refrigerate until needed - just get it out 1½ hours before cooking so it's not fridge-cold).
• When you're ready to cook, heat the tray on the hob for a couple of minutes to start crisping up the base, then transfer to the oven and cook for 40 minutes for blushing, juicy beef - the two end portions will be more cooked, but usually some people prefer that.
• For the gravy, peel and roughly chop the onions and put into a large pan on a medium heat with a lug of oil and the thyme leaves. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in the jam and simmer until shiny and quite dark.
• Add the Madeira, flame with a match, cook away, then stir in the mustard and flour, gradually followed by the stock. Simmer to the consistency you like, then blend with a stick blender and pass through a sieve, or leave chunky.
• Once cooked, rest the Wellington for 5 minutes, then serve in 2cm-thick slices with the gravy and steamed greens.

HEALTHIER BEEF WELLINGTON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Unless the butcher has already done so, tie the meat around with string at even intervals to hold it together. Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Lay the beef in the pan and fry over a high heat for 5 mins to seal, turning often. Transfer it to a roasting tin, season with pepper and a pinch of salt, then roast for 17-18 mins (this roasts to medium-rare).
• Meanwhile, put the porcini in a small heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for 20-30 mins to soak. Pour 1 tbsp of the remaining oil into the same frying pan (don't wash it) that the meat was cooked in. Tip in the shallots, garlic and chestnut mushrooms and fry for 4-5 mins, stirring often, over a high-ish heat, so all the liquid is first released from the mushrooms then evaporated, and all are softened. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and tarragon, season with pepper and a pinch of salt, and leave to cool.
• Put the mix of leaves in a large heatproof bowl, pour over boiling water, leave for 30 secs, then tip into a colander, rinse under the cold tap and drain. Squeeze out all the moisture with your hands and pat dry with kitchen paper. Chop and set aside. Drain the porcini, reserving 5 tbsp of the soaking liquid. Chop the porcini finely and stir into the mushroom mix. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
• When the beef is done, remove from the oven and let it sit in the tin for 10 mins for any juices to be released. Lower the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lift the beef from the tin (keep all the juices in the tin for the gravy) and lay it on kitchen paper. Leave until dry and cool enough to wrap in the filo.
• Lay 1 of the filo sheets on the work surface with the short end facing you. Brush all over with a little of the remaining oil (you will have 1 tbsp and 1 tsp left). Layer up and oil 4 more filo sheets in the same way. Remove the string from the cooled beef. Spread the chopped leaves down the middle of the pastry, so it is the same length and width as the fillet. Top with the mushroom mix and lightly press down. Lay the beef over this, with the top of the beef facing down. Bring the long sides of the filo over the beef to enclose it, then turn it over so the join is underneath. Tuck both ends of the pastry under (trim first if necessary to reduce any excess) and place on the lined baking sheet so all the joins are on the bottom. Brush with more oil.
• Lay the last sheet of filo on the work surface in front of you, with one of the longest sides towards you, then cut across its width into 5 strips. Lay these one by one, slightly overlapping, over the wrapped beef, scrunching up an edge of each strip slightly as you go to give a bit of height. Carefully brush with the last of the oil, then bake for 30 mins until golden. If the pastry starts to brown too quickly, loosely lay a piece of foil over the top. Remove the meat and let sit for 5-10 mins before slicing.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy. Heat the saved roasting juices in the roasting tin, stirring to deglaze. Stir in the flour. Gradually pour in the wine, stirring all the time to blend in the flour. Stir in the stock and reserved porcini liquid and bubble for about 8-10 mins to reduce a little. It should have body, but be thinner like a 'jus'. Stir in the mustard and season with pepper. Transfer the beef to a platter, then slice thickly with a sharp knife and serve with a spoonful or two of the gravy.

TASTY 101: BEEF WELLINGTON RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
• Add the mushrooms to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely diced, but not blended into a paste. Spread the mushrooms on a baking sheet in an even layer and transfer to the oven. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and are dried out, about 45 minutes total.
• Meanwhile, truss the tenderloin: Measure a piece of butcher's twine 6 times the length of the tenderloin. Wrap the twine around one end of the loin and tie a knot to secure the string. Make a loop around your hand with the string and place over the loin about 1 inch down from the first knot. Continue looping the twine in 1-inch intervals until you reach the end, then tie the twine in a knot to secure (this helps the tenderloin hold its shape). Generously season the beef tenderloin with salt and black pepper.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the seasoned tenderloin in the pan and sear quickly on all sides to lock in moisture, about 1 minute per side. Do not overcook; it's fine if the meat does not have a golden brown crust.
• Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the seared tenderloin to a small plate or baking sheet. Cut off the twine, then brush the tenderloin with the mustard to cover completely. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool, about 1 hour.
• Return the pan to medium-low heat. Add the butter, shallots, and garlic and cook until the shallots have caramelized, about 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula to prevent from burning.
• Deglaze the pan with the cognac, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Continue cooking until the alcohol has evaporated and the pan is mostly dry, about 1 minute. Add the dehydrated mushrooms and stir to incorporate. Season with salt to taste. Transfer the duxelles to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly against the surface. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• On a large sheet of plastic wrap, arrange the prosciutto in a large rectangle wide enough to cover the tenderloin, layering evenly. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly across the prosciutto, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges, and press down in a flat layer.
• Place the tenderloin at the bottom of the mushroom mixture and use the plastic wrap to help roll the prosciutto and mushrooms around the tenderloin. The prosciutto should tightly and completely cover the tenderloin. Hold the ends of the plastic wrap and roll the log to help create a tight seal. Refrigerate the roll until chilled all the way through, about 1 hour.
• Place a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin until the pastry sheet is large enough to cover the log.
• Brush the top third of the puff pastry with beaten egg. Unwrap the log and place on the bottom third of the pastry, then roll up into a tight log, turning so the seal is at the bottom. Fold in the sides of the pastry and press under the log. Set the log on a large sheet of plastic wrap and roll to wrap tightly. Refrigerate again while the oven preheats.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Unwrap the log and set on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the log all over with beaten egg, then use a paring knife to create a decorative pattern on the puff pastry. Alternatively, cut the second sheet of puff pastry into long strips and create a lattice over the Wellington, and/or cut out autumnal shapes and press them onto the log. Brush the log with more beaten egg.
• Bake the Wellington until the puff pastry is a deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. If the pastry is getting too dark before the beef is finished cooking, cover loosely with foil and continue cooking. The internal temperature of the beef should reach 125°F (52°C) for a medium-rare finish.
• Remove the Wellington from the oven and let rest for 1 hour. The internal temperature will continue to rise to 135°F (57°C).
• Slice the beef Wellington into 1-inch pieces and serve.
• Enjoy!