Beef Wellington

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The Duke of Wellington was a highly prominent statesman and soldier of the nineteenth century.  This dish, however, bears his name not because he was a great gourmet but because the finished joint was thought to resemble one of the brown shiny military boots which were called after him.

Ingredients

Wellington:

2 ½ -3 lb. beef tenderloin
olive oil
1 pkg. puff pastry sheets
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
sesame seeds
1 recipe of duxelles

Duxelles:
½ lb. chopped mushrooms
¼ c. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter
¼ tsp. marjoram
dash of black pepper
1 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. beef broth
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley, or equal amount dried
1/3 c. finely chopped ham, cooked
 

Cooking Method

Beef Wellington Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   Place beef on a rack in a baking pan. Brush with olive oil.

2. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 150 degrees for medium rare meat.  If rare meat is desired, bake for about 37-38 minutes, or until the meat thermometer registers 140 degrees. You may also grill the meat; preheat the grill and check for desired doneness.

3. Cool the meat about 1 hour.
    

Duxelles:

1. Sauté the mushrooms and onion in the butter until the mushroom liquid evaporates.

2. Stir in marjoram, pepper, flour, and broth.

3. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, and stir in the parsley and the ham.

Assembly:

1. Put the pastry sheets together to form one long sheet.

2. Spread the duxelles on the pastry, leaving a space along the edges (about ¼- ½ inch).

3. Place the beef on the center of the pastry and fold the pastry up over the beef.  Place seam side down in a shallow baking pan. 

4. Pinch the edges together slightly to prevent the duxelles from cooking out.

5. Brush the pastry with the egg yolk mixed with a few drops of cold water.

6. Cut slits into the top of the pastry and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake (at 425 degrees again) for about 30 minutes.

Let stand about 10 minutes before carving.