Beef Wellington
Largely debated is where the specific name “Beef Wellington” comes from. Some say that it comes from The First Duke of Wellington is said to have been a particularly finicky eater and this dish was created for his particular tastes after frustrated private chefs notably left their posts at his home saying that their talents were being wasted. While others argue that he never ate Beef Wellington at all and that Beef Wellington was actually named such because of its' resemblance to the Wellington boot, or more commonly, wellies. And still, others state that it was a dish made for a celebration in the New Zealand city of Wellington and was first called Wellington Steak.
Regardless of its’ somewhat shaky heritage, this possibly English dish is a splendid balance of flakiness from a pastry crust that soaks up the the tender juiciness of a very tender piece of meat that results in a meal that the perhaps picky-eater First Duke of Wellington may or may not have been proud to have bear his name.
Recipe
Beef Wellington
Total Time: 2 Hours 10 Minutes | Active Time: 50 Minutes | Serves Eight
Ingredients:
- 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 C)
- 1/2 C boiling water
- 1 (2- to 3-lb) center-cut beef tenderloin roast, trimmed
- 3 T unsalted butter
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1 x 16oz bag of fresh baby spinach
- 2 t finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 6 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
- 1 (14- to 16-oz) package all-butter puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator if frozen
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Place the porcinis in a small heatproof bowl and pour in the boiling water. Let sit until completely softened, about 30 minutes. Using a fork, transfer the porcinis to a cutting board (be careful not to disturb the gritty sediment at the bottom of the bowl). Finely chop the mushrooms and set them aside. Slowly pour the soaking liquid into a small bowl, leaving the sediment behind; set the liquid aside and discard the sediment.
- Season the beef all over with salt and pepper. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Place the roast in the pan and brown it all over, taking care not to burn the butter, about 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer the roast to a plate to cool.
- Melt the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a separate medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add the reserved porcinis, the garlic, the reserved porcini liquid, the cremini mushrooms, spinach and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushroom mixture has released most of its moisture and appears dry, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme, and stir to combine. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- When the mushroom mixture has cooled, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Using a long spatula, spread half of the mushroom mixture evenly over one side of the beef roast. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap, slightly larger than the roast, horizontally on the work surface. Vertically arrange half of the prosciutto, one piece slightly overlapping the next, along the length of the plastic wrap (it should be about the same size as the roast). Place the roast mushroom-side down on the prosciutto. Spread the remaining mushroom mixture over the roast and the edges of the plastic wrap and use another piece of plastic to enclose the entire roast; refrigerate.
- Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Cut off about one-third of the puff pastry from the sheet and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle 1/8 inch thick and at least 1 inch larger than the base of the roast. Transfer to a baking sheet. Prick well with a fork all over and bake until brown and crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pastry to a cutting board to cool, then trim it to the size of the roast. Return the pastry to the baking sheet; set aside.
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Brush the roast all over with the beaten egg; reserve the remaining egg.
- Roll out the remaining puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 14 inches. Place the roast on top of the cooked pastry base. to lift up the pastry base, then tuck the sides of the uncooked pastry underneath the cooked pastry to seal the roast.
- Roast for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400°F and continue to roast for 25 minutes more for rare to medium-rare beef, 30 to 35 minutes for medium. Remove the Wellington from the oven and let it stand for about 10 minutes before slicing.
- Pour Demi-Glace over the beef wellington and enjoy.
