Beef Wellington, recipe from Bill MURPHY, American Artist.

Beef Wellington

Tired of the same old Vegetarian hash?
Try this delightful English beef specialty.
Beef Wellington is great with green vegetables and mashed potatoes.

1x1.25 kg. or 2.5 lb. fillet of beef

125 g. or 4 oz. butler, softened

1 small onion, finely chopped

125 g. or 4 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced

5O g. or 2 oz. pâte de foie gras

salt and pepper

450 g. or l lb. rough puff pasty

1 egg yolk

300 ml. or 10 fl. oz beef stock

30 ml. or 2 tablespoons red wine

Spread the beef with 25 g. or 1 oz. of the softened butter and put in a roasting pan. Put the pan into the oven preheated to hot (220°C or 425°F or Gas Mark7) and roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fillet is evenly browned. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Reserve the pan juices.

Melt another 25 g. or 1 oz. of butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and mushrooms and fry for 5minutes. Allow it to cool.

Combine the remaining butter with the pate, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread the pate mixture over the top of the beef and top with the onion and mushroom mixture. Roll out the dough very thinly. Place the fillet carefully in the center and wrap the dough round it, like a parcel; dampen and press the edges neatly and firmly together to seal. Make sure any overlapping edges of dough are not too thick. Using a sharp knife, make a few slits in the dough. Place the fillet in a baking dish and brush with the egg yolk. Put the baking dish into the oven preheated to very hot (230°C or 450°F or Gas Mark8) and bake for 10minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to hot (220°C or 425°F or Gas Mark7) and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Keep the fillet warm while you make the sauce.

Add the stock and wine to the reserved pan juices and boil until slightly reduced. Strain. Cut the fillet into thick slices and serve with the sauce.

Serves 6

Note: This recipe is one of the very few that produces a crackerjack result.

For a print ready copy of this recipe click here: PRINT RECIPE.
Recommended by Bill MURPHY and revised from 1000 Recipe Cook Book Edited
by Isabelle Barrett and Jane Harrop (Sixth Printing)

Try Murphy's New England Clam Chowder recipe!