Beef Wellington

Being a recipe that is a huge hit with epicureans across the globe, one may be of the opinion that Beef Wellington is for an expert cook rather than for a beginner. However, no one can deny the fact that it is a meal fit for nobilities. While one may find it hard to believe, the truth is that Beef Wellington is one of those recipes that were very famous about 4 decades ago than they are today. Despite everything, it is the amazing taste it brings to beef that promises to soothe anyone’s cravings for an exotic meal.

Beef Wellington looks like something a foodie would die for. The best part is that making the dish is a lot easier than it looks. With the fantastic results, it can be the pride of any chef and can readily transform a simple dinner into something your guests will talk about for months to come.

Recipe

Beef fillet (larded and tied at room temperature)             3 ½ lbs

Finely chopped Mushrooms       ¾ lb

Butter (unsalted)             2 ½ tablespoon

Foie gras (at room temperature)              ½ lb

Puff pastry          1 lb

Egg white (whipped)      1 large

Egg yolk (whipped with 1 teaspoon of water)     1 large

Sercial Madeira                 ½ can

Arrowroot (kept n 1 tablespoon cold water)        1 teaspoon

Beef broth          ½ cam

Finely chopped black truffles      2 tablespoons

Watercress         For garnishing

Instructions:

Preheat the oven at 400⁰F. Place beef on the roasting pan and roast for approximately thirty minutes. You can also make use of a meat thermometer and roast the beef till the thermometer shows 120⁰F. Allow the pan to cool down and remove all the strings and larding fat. Separate the juices from the fat in the pan and keep it aside. Take another pan and add butter to it. Add mushrooms and start cooking them over medium flame while stirring it occasionally. Continue cooking until all the liquid is evaporated and the mixture in the pan is dry. Add salt and pepper to taste and allow it to cool. Spread fillet along with foie gras evenly. Make sure to cover the top and sides and now put the mushroom mixture on the foie gras. Roll about 1 pound of puff pastry on a surface that is floured. The pastry should be rectangular in shape about 20×12” long so that the roast is enclosed in it completely. Put fillet in the middle of puff pastry and fold the sides while brushing the edges with egg white to seal the sides. Now transfer the fillet to a pan and sweep the dough with egg wash. Roll the remaining dough and cut out shapes to decorate it. Allow the fillet to cool for one to two hours and then bake it in an oven at 400⁰F for thirty minutes.

Decrease the temperature to 350⁰F and bake for about five to ten minutes when the pastry is well cooked and the meat thermometer shows 130⁰F. Take another saucepan and bring the pan juices and Madeira to a boil until the mixture is condensed to 1/4th of the total. Add truffles, pepper, salt, broth and arrowroot mixture. Cook the sauce for five minutes until it thickens but make sure it does not boil. Now remove the fillet from the pan. Place it over a platter and use watercress to garnish it. Serve with sauce.