I made “real” Beef Wellington once, for my husband’s 40th birthday. And it took days. Even without making the puff pastry or the pate from scratch, it was quite a project: a scrumptious and complicated red wine sauce made with oxtails, the Duxelles, the proper cooking of an intimidatingly expensive cut of meat, the assembly, plus a dozen dressed-up guests eagerly awaiting its arrival. Not for the faint of heart.
And while I’m not always looking for short-cuts in the kitchen, this new version, from the February 2011 edition of Cook’s Country, made me seriously wonder if I’ll ever make the long version again.
Again I purchased the puff pastry and I bought the readily-available Pepperidge Farm kind (as I took it out of the freezer case at the store I promised God and Julia Child that I really, truly would learn how to make puff pastry from scratch. Definitely in 2011. Or at least before I’m 60.) Therefore, this requires only that you can saute a piece of meat and saute mushrooms. And I know that you can.
The sauce is a basic pan sauce with shallots, cremini mushrooms (I used shiitakes), red wine and chicken stock, begun and finished with a little butter.
You could absolutely serve this to twelve dressed-up guests and it would take you 20 minutes to get it on the table. It is elegant and delicious. My stupider dog could do it if he wouldn’t just eat the tenderloins right through the wrapper every time.
I served it with broiled asparagus dressed with a lemon-shallot vinaigrette.
Hi Kate
This looks wonderful. Guess I will have to buy the Feb issue! Thanks
Kathy
As one of the original dozen dressed-up guests, I have to say it was a memorable meal. Absolutely delicious! This new version is one I would make though. Thanks for the recommendation!
Looks yummy!
This looks absolutely delicious and definitely worth trying.
Did you use a Julia recipe the first time?
Kate
Just got back from the grocery store & no Feb issue. March is on display. This is still Jan!!!!!!!!! Could you possibly pm this recipe to me? I don’t need all the details, just a summary & I would probably be able to repeat it. When you have time. No hurry.
Thanks
Kathy
Poor Pookah–much maligned. But this looks terrific. So, how bad for me is puff pastry? Or should I ever bother asking cause I probably don’t want to know?
Yeah, puff pastry, I don’t think you want to know. It’s basically butter with only enough flour to hold itself together. You could substitute toast or brioche (not much of an improvement). But one-quarter of one sheet of puff pastry can’t be worse than a cup of mashed potatoes, so if the pastry is your starch (as I did in this meal, only adding some asparagus), I can rationalize that!
Two things: 1) that photo is stupdendous! 2) I will send you Marilyn’s puff pastry recipe. Photo step-by-step is on my blog, posted 1/24/08. I have made it only twice, but it is definitely something you should try.