Beef Wellington is a traditional English dish that consists of a beef filet smothered in mushroom duxelles and foie gras pate and wrapped in pastry, then baked until golden and rare in the middle. If you ever watch any of the Gordon Ramsay shows it’s a dish you would know well, as it’s so easily destroyed by contestants trying to win the next big chef prize thing. So you see this dish a lot on menus in traditional fancy restaurants with a high price tag to match!
But sometimes you just don’t want to go out for dinner. Every so often I like to have a nice meal in the comfort of our own home. So I wanted to make something special for my husband for date night, and while this is such a ‘wow’ dish, it’s actually quite simple to make. Beef, mushrooms, foie gras, thyme, puff pastry. Simple ingredients that come together to make something unbelievably delicious. Slices of rare filet atop white wine mushrooms and fois gras, all laying on a bed of puffy, buttery pastry. Let’s just say, it was gobbled up happily and washed down with a gorgeous red Cotes du Rhone. Looking for a way to fancy up your Friday night? These Beef Wellington Tarts will make you feel like you’re at a top restaurant, without the hefty bill at the end!
*Now I know the ethical issues with foie gras, so please feel free to use chicken liver or mushroom pate instead.
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 ounces foie gras mousse (about 1/4 cup)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, and cook until completely browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer skillet to oven, and cook to desired doneness (130 degrees for medium-rare, 8 to 9 minutes). Transfer beef to a plate, and let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, cut two 5 1/2-inch squares from puff pastry; reserve remaining dough for another use. Using a paring knife, score a 1/2-inch border around each square. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees, and continue to bake until puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, melt butter with remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a clean skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, thyme, and garlic, and cook until mushrooms are tender and garlic has softened, about 8 minutes. Add wine, and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mixture to a small bowl.
Add foie gras mousse to skillet, and reduce heat to low. Stir until just melted. Remove from heat.
Using the back of a spoon, flatten inside portion of each pastry square. Thinly slice beef, and arrange slices on top of pastry. Top with mushroom mixture, and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe from Martha Stewart. Photos from Flick of the Whisk. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.
Beef Wellington is a traditional English dish that consists of a beef filet smothered in mushroom duxelles and foie gras pate and wrapped in pastry, then baked until golden and rare in the middle. If you ever watch any of the Gordon Ramsay shows it’s a dish you would know well, as it’s so easily destroyed by contestants trying to win the next big chef prize thing. So you see this dish a lot on menus in traditional fancy restaurants with a high price tag to match!
*Now I know the ethical issues with foie gras, so please feel free to use chicken liver or mushroom pate instead.