Beef Wellington at its best

Beef Wellington already is a perfect mix of demi-glace gravy with the pastry, so it makes it a very heavy meal. Adding a course of a vegetable meal and a sweet end of chocolate spread with fruit and nut tart will conclude the occasion as a super treat.

Stage 1

Asparagus with Lemon Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

• One bunch of Asparagus
• ½ clove garlic
• ¼ cup butter
• Fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Equipment:

• Medium skillet
• Platter

Beef Wellington and asparagus make a perfect menu

Directions:

Take a skillet and melt butter under medium heat. Meanwhile chop the garlic in to small slices. When the butter has spread all over, take it off from the heat and stir in garlic. Move the garlic so the flavor spreads and then add vinegar and lemon juice to the pan, avoid your face coming too near to the pan and wear gloves. Toss asparagus and season with salt and peppers until all is nicely mixed. The starter is ready and transfer it to a platter nicely presented and sprinkle it with lemon zest for stronger flavor.

The image credits go to purpaboo.

Stage 2

Beef Wellington

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Beef fillet, preferably tenderloin beef
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 250g chestnut mushrooms
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 50 grams butter
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 500 g puff pastry
• Some flour
• 2 eggs
• 12 slices prosciutto

Equipment:

• Oven
• Refrigerator
• Roasting tray
• Brush for spreading oil
• Food processor (optional)
• Saucepan
• Cling film
• Cutting/chopping board

Beef Wellington with Asparagus

Directions:

Take your beef to a roasting tray and coat it with olive oil with a brush. Heat you oven to 220C. Roast the beef for about 15 to 20 minutes until it is medium or medium-rare as you would like it. Take out the roasting tray and let the beef cool and then finally let it chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Slice the mushrooms as fine and this as possible so they look almost powdered. You can do the same with a food processor with pulse chop setting otherwise it turn in to a cream. Spread some olive oil on to your saucepan on medium heat and also add butter so it spreads. Add mushrooms and thyme sprig so that it is heated to a softened mixture, this will take about 10 minutes. Season the mixture with dry white wine and let it dissolve while cooking for another 10 minutes. Finally replace the mushroom duxelle from the pan to a bowl to cool off.

Place 2 sheets of cling film on a cutting board slightly overlapping each other so you can distinguish. Place prosciutto on the cling film and spread half of the mushroom duxelles you made on the prosciutto. Then place the chilled beef fillet on to the prosciutto and further coat it with duxelles. Use the cling films to wrap the beef fillet and chill it in the refrigerator.

Spread some flour on to the baking sheet to make it less sticky for the pastry puffs. Spread the pastry puffs just large enough to wrap up the size of the beef fillet. Take out the chilled beef fillet with prosciutto and unravel the plastic film. Place the fillet on the pastry puff sheet and wrap it up, cutting off the excess ends with a knife. Glaze the coating with egg yolk and use one end of the knife to mark the beef wellington with long lines, being careful not to cut the pastry. Put it to chill again for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Heat the oven to 200C and brush the beef wellington again with egg yolk until it is shiny. Bake it in the oven until it is golden crisp for 20 to 25 minutes. Once done, let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Stage 3

Pear and almond tart with chocolate syrup

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces of icing sugar
• 2 ounces of plain flour
• 4 ounces of ground almonds
• 1 lemon’s zest
• 5 egg whites
• 6 ounces of butter and some for greasing
• 2 peeled, cored, quartered ripe pears
• 1 ounce of flaked almonds
• Chocolate syrup

Equipment:

• Oven
• 2 mixing bowls
• Tin tart
• Non-stick grease proof paper

Directions:

Heat the oven for 200C. Take a tart tin and grease it with butter and place greaseproof paper on the base. Take some fine sugar icing in to a small mixing bowl. Dip almonds and lemon zest in to the small mixing bowl and mix it nicely.

Take the egg whites in to another mixing bowl until it is frothy. Add this mix to the other bowl with sugar icing and almonds, along with melted butter. Mix the bowl with all the ingredients until it is smooth.

Spread the cream in to the prepared tart tin and decorate it with sliced pears and further sprinkle it with flaked almonds.

Heat the mix in to the oven for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, lower the heat to 180C and further heat it for 10 minutes until you observe a pale golden color from the pears. To test the tart, lightly budge the pears to observe if it is planted firmly on the tart. When it is ready, let it cool off and present it on a clean plate, sprinkled with icing sugar and chocolate syrup.

Salt and pepper to taste

Nonstick baking sheet

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Sausage Meat
• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 package Crescent Rolls
• 1 Egg White
• Sesame Seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook and drain 1 pound sausage. Mix in the cream cheese. Mix these two ingredients until they are well blended in a skillet.

Spread out the crescent rolls and pinch together. Roll out to a rectangle 10×12 with a rolling pen.

Spread the sausage-cream cheese mixture in the center of the roll.

Using a table knife, cut 3” slits along the side about ½” wide.

Fold the ends down first before folding up to form a braid.

Brush pastry with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake 20-30 minutes.

Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving your Sausage Wellington recipe to your guests.

Tips

The good thing about this dish is that you do are not using meat. You can use this as an appetizer or a snack.For more sausage recipes we recommend Italian Sausage Recipes.

Ingredients

8 small Chicken Breast filets, skinless

2 sheets Puff Pastry, thawed

½ lb. Fresh Button Mushroom, sliced

2 tablespoons Oil

2 tablespoons Butter

1 large Onion, chopped finely

1 tablespoon Garlic, minced

8 ounce Cream Cheese, softened

2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1 Egg, beaten slightly

2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven 375°F.

Season chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides

In a skillet, heat butter and oil. Slightly fry chicken until both sides become brown and are almost completely cooked through. Transfer to plate.

In the same pan, sauté garlic, onions, and sliced mushrooms until mushrooms lose moisture and onions become tender. Stir in parsley.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each puff pastry into a 14-inch square. Cut into 4 equal 7-inch squares.

Place each breast on top of every puff pastry square.

In small bowl, mix softened cream cheese and mustard. Spread over each chicken breast. Top with 2-3 tablespoons of the onion-mushroom mixture.

Brush edges of each pastry square with water.

Wrap chicken breast around the pastry. Press edges to seal tightly.

Place the parcel on greased baking sheets, with the seam side facing the pan. Brush top with egg wash.

Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry has turned golden brown and has puffed.

Serve your Chicken Wellington recipe.

Tips

Serve this dish with a creamy mushroom sauce or gravy.

Ingredients

4 Salmon Steaks (bones and skin removed)

1 cup Fresh Mushrooms, sliced

1 pack Fresh Spinach

1 pack frozen Puff Pastry, thawed

1 Onion

2 cloves Garlic

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Egg Yolk

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Sprinkle salt and pepper onto salmon.

Cut onion and garlic in thin slices. Over medium heat, sauté these two ingredients with butter until they turn golden. Add mushrooms and spinach. Cook until they turn tender. Remove the juices.

Cut each pastry sheet in half. Extend each piece carefully. Fill the pastry with spinach. Layer salmon on top of spinach, fold pastry to cover the salmon. Brush pastry with egg yolk.

Place the parcel in a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350°F or until puff pastry has cooked for about 20 minutes. You will know this when it turns golden and fluffy.

Heat mushroom soup without adding any milk or water. The soup should end up with creamy and thick. This will serve as the sauce of the Salmon Wellington recipe.

Tips

Garnish each Salmon Wellington dish by placing a sprig of parsley on top of the salmon. Just like Beef tenderloin, salmon is a real prime dish. We recommend grilled salmon for more recipes.

Ingredients

½lb. Ground Beef

½ cup Fresh Mushrooms, chopped

2 teaspoons All Purpose Flour

1 (4 ounce) package refrigerated Crescent Rolls

1 tablespoon Butter

2 tablespoons Onion, finely chopped

½ cup Half-and-Half Cream

¼ teaspoon Pepper, divided

1 Egg Yolk

¼ teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon dried Parsley Flakes

Directions

Saute mushrooms in butter in a saucepan until softened. Mix flour and 1/8 teaspoon Pepper until they have been fully blended. Gradually, add cream. Bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring well or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine egg yolk, 2 tablespoons mushroom sauce, onion, salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Crumble beef over the mixture and mix well. Form 2 loaves. Separate crescent dough into 2 rectangles on baking sheet. Seal perforations. Place the meat loaf on every rectangle. Bring the edges together and pinch in order to seal. Bake at 350°F for 24-28 minutes.

In low heat, warm the remaining sauce. Stir in parsley. Serve the ground beef Wellington recipe with the sauce.

Tips

This would be a great way you can entertain your friends. Serve with a selected glass of Red Wine.

Ingredients

• 2½ lbs. Beef Tenderloin
• 8 ounces Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed
• 2 cups Mushrooms, chopped finely
• 1 medium Onion, chopped finely
• 1 tablespoon Butter
• 1 tablespoon Water
• 1 Egg
• Black Pepper, ground

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place beef on lightly greased roasting pan. Season with black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 130°F. Cover pan and refrigerate for an hour.

Reheat oven to 425°F. Beat egg with water in small bowl with fork or whisk.

Over medium-high heat, heat butter in a 10-inch skillet. Add onion and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms become tender and liquid has evaporated.

Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll out the sheet into rectangle 4×6 inches longer and wider than the beef. Brush each pastry sheet with the egg wash. Spoon mushroom mixture onto pastry sheet within 1-inch from edge. Place bee in the middle of the mushroom mixture.

Fold the pastry over beef and press to seal. Place onto a baking sheet, with the seam sides facing down. Tuck the ends beneath to seal. Again, brush pastry with egg mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry has turned golden brown. Serve the Beef Wellington with Puff Pastry recipe to your guests.

Tips

You can serve this dish with green beans amandine.

Ingredients

• 4 Beef Tenderloin Steaks
• 1 cup Wild Mushroom
• 2 sheets Puff Pastry
• 6 Shallots, chopped and divided into 2
• 2 ounces Heavy Cream
• 2 ounces Sweet Marsala Wine
• 2 cups Red Wine
• 2 cups Chicken Broth
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
• 1 Egg
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 pinch Pepper
• Olive Oil flavored cooking spray

Directions

Mushroom Filling:

Over high heat, cook butter and shallots on a large sauté pan until shallots soften. Add in the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms start softening and reduce. Add in the Marsala Wine and let the liquid reduce until almost dry. Add cream and again, reduce until almost dry.

Transfer mushroom mixture to a food processor and pulse until mixture smoothens. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Keep inside a refrigerator until completely chilled.

Beef Wellington:

Preheat oven at 400°F.

Season beef with salt and pepper. Place in a large sauté pan with good amount of cooking spray. Brown on each side until slightly crusty in high heat. Remove beef from the pan and place on baking tray inside a preheated oven of 425°F. Roast until internal temperature has reached 100°F. Remove beef from the oven and cool inside refrigerator.

On the same sauté pan, cook shallots over medium heat until they turn brown. Add in the red wine and scrape brown from the bottom while wine boils and reduces. When wine has reduced to ¼, add the chicken broth. Reduce and simmer. Add more broth or wine as needed.

Cut the pastry sheet into large sizes that will wrap each piece of meat. Spread the mushroom mixture on top of the beef that has been placed on top of the pastry. Wrap pastry around the two. Brush with beaten egg.

Place the beef pastries on a baking sheet and place inside oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry turns brown. Before serving the beef, allow to sit in room temperature for 5-10 minutes.

While meat rests, prepare the sauce for the Beef Wellington with Mushrooms recipe. Add cornstarch to small amount of water. Add to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes or until desired thickness has been achieved. Spoon on the beef when serving.

Tips

Instead of mushroom pate, you can always use liver pate.

Ingredients

6 Beef Tenderloin Steaks (6 ounces each)

6 sheets refrigerated Pie Pastry

1 Egg, beaten lightly

½ lb. Fresh Mushrooms, chopped

1¼ cup Beef Broth

½ cup loosely packed Basil Leaves and fresh Parsley sprigs

¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

¼ cup Dry Red Wine or extra Beef Broth

¼ cup Water

5 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided

4 tablespoons Butter, divided

3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour

1/8 teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoon Browning Sauce, optional

Directions

For the pesto: in a food processor, combine 3 tablespoons oil, Parsley, Basil, Parmesan Cheese and Salt. Process covered until smooth, set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the steaks in 2 tablespoons butter and the remaining oil for about 5-6 minutes on every side, or until the meat has reached the desired doneness. Remove and keep warm.

On the same skillet, sauté mushrooms until the liquid has been absorbed.

Cut pastry sheet into 8 in. square. Place steak on every square. Spread with 1 tablespoon Pesto. Top with mushrooms.

Bring the opposite corners of the pastry over the steak. Pinch the seams to tightly seal the dough. Place in a greased 15x10x1 baking pan. Brush beaten egg over pastry.

Bake at 450°F for 18-20 minutes, or until pastry gets golden brown color. Allow to stand for 10 minutes prior to serving this Beef Wellington menu recipe.

Tips

You can serve this dish with gravy by melting remaining butter on same skillet, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until it gets thick. Good for 6 servings.

Ingredients

• 10 ½ ounce condensed Beef Consomme, undiluted
• ½ cup Madeira Wine
• 2 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoons Butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• ½ teaspoon Beef Bouillon Granules

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine tomato paste, bouillon granules, and consommé. Bring to a boil.

Lower the heat, simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes or until it has reduced to just 2 cups.

Mix butter and flour. Stir into the sauce, adding one teaspoon at a time. Bring to a boil.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes, or until it has thickened.

Remove from the heat, stir in wine and set aside.

When serving the Beef Wellington sauce recipe, reheat the Madeira sauce.

Tips

Aside from the Madeira sauce, there are other sauces that are okay with the Beef Wellington. You can use a Green Peppercorn sauce recipe or a Red Wine sauce. It will depend on your taste.

Individual Beef Wellington

Are you looking for a recipe that will be able to inspire your dinner guests into thinking that you have prepared an extravagant meal? You can follow this individual Beef Wellington recipe. A good thing about this recipe is that you can serve it in individual packets instead of serving a whole tenderloin of beef.

Ingredients

• 4 (½ -2 inches thick)slices of Filet of Beef
• 8 sheets of Apollo Fillo
• ¼ cup Butter, melted
• Butter
• 1 Egg, beaten well
• Salt & Pepper

Duxelles:

• 1½ lb. Mushrooms
• 8 Shallots or 2 Medium Onions
• 2-3 tablespoon Butter
• ¼ cup Parsley, chopped
• Salt and Pepper
• Few drops of freshly squeezed lemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a very hot skillet, saute beef filet in butter 2-3 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

Divide the Duxelles recipe.

Trim stems of mushroom. Grate or chop very finely the mushrooms. Wrap in a towel and squeeze out the excess moisture.

Heat butter in a pan and lightly brown the chopped onion or shallots. Add in the mushrooms, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix over high heat until mixture has evaporated completely. Stir in chopped parsley. Set aside.

Place one Fillo leaf on damp cloth and brush with melted butter. Place another leaf directly on top of the first. Put one filet on the middle of the dough and spread ¼ Duxelles mixture on top of fillet. Fold one side of the dough over half of the filet. Fold the opposite side, around and under. Fold the left and the right sides under. Using cold water; seal the seams. Repeat for every piece of filet.

With the seams facing down, place each packet on tray or cookie sheet. Brush each filet with egg and bake in oven for around 15-20 minutes or until they have turned golden brown.

Serve the individual Beef Wellington recipe to your guests.

Tips

This recipe is only good for 4 people. If you would like to add more, follow the same recipe.
The image credits go to Wikipedia.