Beef Wellington a classic recipe

My husband has wanted to make this classic for many year.   When we were first married, he had talked about making Beef Wellington with my Mom who had recited the recipe by memory to him, much to his surprise.    At a young age, my mom had worked in a Hospital kitchen in her hometown.  My Mom was an incredible cook, with recipes in her repertoire that were very French based, sauces, pastries, cream puffs, custards, desserts, etc.   Only in later years did I find out in talking to her sister, that the head of the kitchen was a Cordon Bleu trained chef, a Felician sister who ran the kitchen in the hospital.  The Felician Sisters who originated in Warsaw, Poland where from Chicago and ran the local hospital.  My Mom had fond memories of working in the hospital kitchen.   When the Felician sisters moved to Landgenburg Saskatchewan, they had had asked my Mom to join them.

My husband decide to do classic recipe for my birthday rather than go out for dinner.

The recipe he followed was very much like what my Mom had recited to him, minus the homemade pastry as Puff Pastry was used here instead. 

There are many recipes on the internet, but really use them only as a guide.   The pictures I have enclosed will help you with the method.



Beef Wellington

The Tenderloin Beef was 900 gm, almost 2 pounds. It was sautéed in a mixture of olive oil and butter. The meat was sautéed for about 3 - 5 minutes on all six sides, until just sealed.

Preheat oven to 425 F

Two shallots were finely chopped and sautéed in the same pan used for the meat.

The meat was covered in Dijon Mustard and set aside.  My mom used English mustard here.

Mushrooms, about 1 kg (2 lb) were finely chopped and sautéed with the shallots.

At the same time, a brown sauce was being made.  

Brown Sauce

1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery, finely chopped
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
finely chopped thyme
1/4 c sherry plus 3 Tbsp
1 cup of homemade turkey stock
2 Tbsp butter

Method for the Brown Sauce

Chop up finely the celery, carrots, onion and herbs; parsley and thyme. 
Saute the veggies
Add the stock to the vegetables. Bouillon cubes can be used here
Add the sherry to the mixture
Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes until it reduces.
Strain mixture through a fine sieve. 
Add 3 Tbsp Sherry
Stir in butter 
Keep warm to serve over the tenderloin

Pate was sliced, about 1/4 inch and added on to the Puff Pastry that had been thawed in the refrigerator

Place the prepared meat on the bed of duxelles (mixture of shallot and mushrooms)

Wrap the bundle with the Puff Pastry and seal the edges

Egg wash the pastry before placing in the preheated oven

A 2015 cabernet wine from my hubby's favourite winery in the Okanagan Valley, Quails Gate

Reduce the oven temperature to 400 F

Bake for 40 minutes.

  

It was a very enjoyable evening as I photographed the preparation and sipped on white wine  as not a red wine drinker! This picture was staged for my husband's Facebook page! 

Enjoy the small things in life as they add up to make everything beautiful!