Recipe: Beef Wellington, by Cynthia Ferris-Bennett

Individual Beef Wellington Class at the Sierra Chef Culinary Center in Genoa is one of my favorite classes to teach. This very elegant looking dish always surprises everyone with its simplicity in preparation and its sophistication on the palette. You could even cut the meat into bite sized portions and wrap for a perfect passed appetizer.

Basically, Beef Wellington is beef tenderloin (we prefer to use fine Bently Ranch Beef at Sierra Chef) encased in a pastry crust and cooked. The French tradition is the addition of Pate on top of the steak before it is wrapped in puff pastry. We typically are making a Duxelle which is a lovely shallot and mushroom mixture. So many folks have claimed this dish as their creation but I am going to throw the credit to my Irish roots with this rendition of ‘steig’ or steak Wellington, thanks to an Irish Duke.

Wellington doesn’t always need to be beef. Other proteins are also quite lovely baked in puff pastry, Wellington style…sausage & salmon come to mind and let’s not forget our Vegetarian friends…duxelle and beet Wellington, crispy tofu and duxelle Wellington are worth a try. Remember…Wellington will always impress your guests whether it is an appetizer, individual portion or a full tenderloin…Enjoy!

Please visit www.SierraChef.com for a complete class schedule. Please note that Private Classes are always available and are the same cost as our regular classes. Sierra Chef is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Our Sierra Chef Farmers Markets are every Wednesday at Lampe Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Orchard House in Genoa.

Ingredients

6 Bently Ranch Beef Tenderloin Steaks (1-1/2- to 2-inches thick and 8 ounces each)

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped shallots

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed beef consommé, undiluted

3 tablespoons sherry wine

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

2 eggs, whisk together for an egg wash

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large skillet, brown steaks in 2 tablespoons butter for 2-3 minutes on each side. Internal temperature should be 120. Remove and keep warm.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a 14 by 9.5-inch rectangle. Cut each into two 7-inch squares (discard scraps). Place a steak in the center of each square. Lightly brush pastry edges with egg wash. Bring opposite corners of pastry over steak; pinch seams to seal tightly. Cut four small slits in top of pastry.

Place in a greased baking dish. Brush with egg wash.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135; medium, 140; medium-well, 145).

Meanwhile, in the same skillet used to brown the steaks, sauté mushrooms and shallots in remaining butter for 3-5 minutes or until tender.

Combine flour and consommé until smooth; stir into mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in sherry and thyme. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Serve with beef.

Cynthia Ferris-Bennett, a Nevada native, is the owner of the Sierra Chef Culinary Center, Italian Bakery & Gourmet Market in Genoa, Nevada, which specializes in weekly cooking classes, gourmet culinary pantry & market, Italian desserts & pastries. She manages the Sierra Chef Farmers Market at Lampe Park on Wednesdays and the Sierra Chef Farmers Market in Genoa at the Orchard House on Saturdays – May through September. Cynthia is also the Event Manager for Orchard House in Historic Genoa, Nevada for Weddings & Events.