Hi All,I'm new to the forum and am enjoying many of your posts. I could use some corrections and advice on preparing individual beef wellingtons from you experts! I make a roast tenderloin every year, but have never attempted wellingtons. I'll be serving 12 for Christmas dinner. A friend suggested I buy a whole tenderloin and cut the meat myself... but I'm thinking they will be different sizes which won't work. Shouldn't I just buy 12 fillet mignons, about 6 oz each and 1 1/2 inches thick? Also, I'd like to use Dufour puff pastry (if I can find it)... has anyone worked with that? Or should I just make my own? I plan to use gorganzola and a mushroom duxelle as many don't like the pate. I know I need to really cook the liquid out of the mushrooms. Here's where I get a little nervous... the cooking part: I'll sear the fillets on the stove for 2 minutes each side, then chill well overnight, assemble the wellingtons the next day, chill for at least an hour and bake them on a pre-heated sheet pan lined with parchment at 425 degrees for 30 minutes to an internal temp of 130 degrees, then let rest for 10 minutes... I will hopefully have medium rare meat and golden puff pastry. Of course there's one or two who will want it well done. Any suggestions for a sauce? I'll probably serve mashed potatoes, green beans with chopped roasted red bell peppers (for color), as well as another vege. Any suggestions for the sides would be greatly appreciated. Then I just need to address the vegetarians in the group... Sorry for the lengthy post and thank you in advance to those who read and advise!
Individual Beef Wellingtons... help please
- Thread starter McCue
- Start date
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Nicholas Mosher
Sous Chef
I'll be following this one for sure!
Can't wait to hear how things develop and turn out for you. I've never attempted Beef Wellington before.
For those that like it well done, do as Anthony Bourdain jokes... throw it in a deep fryer until it curls up, and then dunk it in a bucket of warm water...
(j/k)
Can't wait to hear how things develop and turn out for you. I've never attempted Beef Wellington before.
For those that like it well done, do as Anthony Bourdain jokes... throw it in a deep fryer until it curls up, and then dunk it in a bucket of warm water...
(j/k)ChefJune
Master Chef
I would definitely go with premade puff pastry. You're experimenting with the Wellingtons. How much time do you have for this project? The DuFour is (imo) a superior product to the Pepperidge Farms, so check it out, if you can. They carry it at Whole Foods and Wegman's. Where are you located?
Cooking the duxelles to "dry" is essential to the success of your dish. Otherwise you will have a soggy mess.
Keep us posted, and be sure to take pictures.
Cooking the duxelles to "dry" is essential to the success of your dish. Otherwise you will have a soggy mess.
Keep us posted, and be sure to take pictures.
Thanks for the advice ChefJune. Yes, I am experimenting with the wellingtons, but I've experimented before and my family still loves me... lol. I was hoping the Dufours would be at Whole Foods! yea!! I have all the time in the world for this project. I love to do up the holidays!!! As for the pictures... that depends on how much wine I've tossed back in the kitchen. (Guess that's why everybody always comments on how calm I am when I entertain.)
ironchef
Executive Chef
Hi All,I'm new to the forum and am enjoying many of your posts. I could use some corrections and advice on preparing individual beef wellingtons from you experts! I make a roast tenderloin every year, but have never attempted wellingtons. I'll be serving 12 for Christmas dinner. A friend suggested I buy a whole tenderloin and cut the meat myself... but I'm thinking they will be different sizes which won't work. Shouldn't I just buy 12 fillet mignons, about 6 oz each and 1 1/2 inches thick? You can buy the whole tenderloin because you're cooking the steaks to different temps regardless. The majority of your cuts should be similar so you can use those for the main portions. The steaks that are closer towards the tenderloin tail you can use for the well done portions. Also, I'd like to use Dufour puff pastry (if I can find it)... has anyone worked with that? Or should I just make my own? Definitely buy your own. It's too time consuming to make your own puff pastry and if you don't incorporate the layers correctly it won't puff up and will just be a mess. I plan to use gorganzola and a mushroom duxelle as many don't like the pate. I know I need to really cook the liquid out of the mushrooms. Here's where I get a little nervous... the cooking part: I'll sear the fillets on the stove for 2 minutes each side, then chill well overnight, assemble the wellingtons the next day, chill for at least an hour and bake them on a pre-heated sheet pan lined with parchment at 425 degrees for 30 minutes to an internal temp of 130 degrees, then let rest for 10 minutes... I will hopefully have medium rare meat and golden puff pastry. Of course there's one or two who will want it well done. With the well done steaks, you're going to have to pre-cook them to an internal temp of about 110-115 degrees so the puff pastry doesn't burn before the steaks finish cooking. Also, don't forget to bring up the steaks to room temp before you wrap them. Any suggestions for a sauce? The two traditional sauces served with Wellington are Bernaise or Madeira. I like to make sauce Marchand de Vin. Another good sauce would be Sauce Perigeaux. You could always serve just a basic red wine demi which would also work, as would a Beurre Rouge. I'll probably serve mashed potatoes, green beans with chopped roasted red bell peppers (for color), as well as another vege. Any suggestions for the sides would be greatly appreciated. Since you're going through all the trouble to make such an extravagant entree, it would be a shame to serve such passe sides. Mashed potatoes are fine, but do something like Pesto Mashed Potatoes or Goat Cheese and Basil Mashed Potatoes. For the vegetables, you could do a mixture of roasted , assorted root veg. (parsnips, carrots, sweet potato, etc.) or something like grilled asparagus with shaved parmesan. Then I just need to address the vegetarians in the group You could do a tofu Wellington or a vegetable Wellington using something like kabocha pumpkin or squash. Just make sure to press and drain the water out of the tofu if you use it or else the pastry will be soggy... Sorry for the lengthy post and thank you in advance to those who read and advise!
Chef_Jimmy
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2005
- Messages
- 294
hey IC remember when i did the surf and turf wellington for mothers day?
McCue, I did a truffle oil infused bernaise (a suggestion from IC) it was killer, You can do lobster mashed potatoes with black truffles.
Cut your meat yourself or you will pay a couple of dollars more per pound.
McCue, I did a truffle oil infused bernaise (a suggestion from IC) it was killer, You can do lobster mashed potatoes with black truffles.
Cut your meat yourself or you will pay a couple of dollars more per pound.
boufa06
Executive Chef
McCue, I have done Beef Wellington a couple of times with great success using readymade puff pastry. If you can find a good puff pastry that is flaky, I think you should go for it rather than doing it yourself as preparing and assembling B.W. takes a lot of time plus the fact that you have other dishes to do as well. It is easier to divide the tenderloin into 2 parts and then sear them over the stove which is what I have done. Saute the onions with the mushrooms, cool and drain. Spread top surface of fillet with pate or in your case gorgonzola. Place mushroom mixture on the centre of one sheet of pastry, then place the fillet pate/gorgonzola side down on the mushrooms. Bring the sides of the pastry up to enclose the fillet, tuck the ends under. Place seam sides down on a lightly greased oven tray and brush with beaten egg. Bake accordingly.
As for the sauce, I think mushroom and port goes well with it and the vegetables you have in mind. If you need the recipe, let me know.
Considering that you have vegetarians among the guests, an ideal side dish will be Tzatziki, a Greek dip made out of yoghurt, cucumber and dill. It will also complement the richness of the Beef Wellington. You can serve it with warm pita bread or dinner rolls.
As for the sauce, I think mushroom and port goes well with it and the vegetables you have in mind. If you need the recipe, let me know.
Considering that you have vegetarians among the guests, an ideal side dish will be Tzatziki, a Greek dip made out of yoghurt, cucumber and dill. It will also complement the richness of the Beef Wellington. You can serve it with warm pita bread or dinner rolls.
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Wow, you guys are really helpful!
Candocook, thanks for the link!
IC, if I need to pre-cook the well done fillets to 110-115, should I roast them in the oven after searing. What pre-cooking temp for the med rare?Thanks for thre suggestions on the sides. I was afraid of anything with competing with the wellingtons. Plus I have some fussy eaters (or as I call them- PIAs). I was thinking a little truffle oil to finish the mashed potatoes. I make roasted root veges with butternut squash often so that's out, but the asparagus is sounding good. My experience with sauce is very limited. I'll probably end up making a veal stock and doing a semi-demi with the stock and red wine. Or maybe the bernaise. I like Jimmy's suggestion of your truffle oil infused bernaise. Do I just add the oil to taste at the end?
Jimmy- I'm definitley making the lobster mashed potatoes when I have a crowd who'll appreciate them... or maybe I'll just eat them ALL myself!
Candocook, thanks for the link!
IC, if I need to pre-cook the well done fillets to 110-115, should I roast them in the oven after searing. What pre-cooking temp for the med rare?Thanks for thre suggestions on the sides. I was afraid of anything with competing with the wellingtons. Plus I have some fussy eaters (or as I call them- PIAs). I was thinking a little truffle oil to finish the mashed potatoes. I make roasted root veges with butternut squash often so that's out, but the asparagus is sounding good. My experience with sauce is very limited. I'll probably end up making a veal stock and doing a semi-demi with the stock and red wine. Or maybe the bernaise. I like Jimmy's suggestion of your truffle oil infused bernaise. Do I just add the oil to taste at the end?
Jimmy- I'm definitley making the lobster mashed potatoes when I have a crowd who'll appreciate them... or maybe I'll just eat them ALL myself!
ironchef
Executive Chef
McCue said:
If you're doing the tenderloin whole, then in the oven. If cut into steaks, then on the stovetop. For the asparagus, I forgot to mention to also finish it with a drizzle of olive oil and a little fresh squeezed lemon. Sauteed rapini or broccolini would work too. For the truffle oil, yeah you'd drizzle it in at the end, off the heat. Or, you could sauce the Wellingtons and drizzle it over the finished dish.
StirBlue
Head Chef
McCue: I was following your original post thinking you really had it together until I saw mashed potatoes and green beans. I hope you're going to make something special of them so they don't feel out of place on the table with the beef wellington. Of course the people who want well done can always fill up on mashed potatoes.
McCue--lissen up!! I have THE thing for your vegetarian friends that is an equally WOW factor and you can do it ahead!!
Look at Emeril's Christmas show and do the vegetable terrine. It is so totally beautiful, and it has to taste good as well. PLEASE do it!!
Look at Emeril's Christmas show and do the vegetable terrine. It is so totally beautiful, and it has to taste good as well. PLEASE do it!!
Candocook,
That is a fabulous recipe... made it last year as an appetizer and it was a big hit with the whole gang. It's a pretty dish too! I'm making more and more non-meat dishes these days and the meat eaters gobble them up (while the vegetarians glare at them...lol.)
Thanks for the link, though. I really do appreciate your thinking of me and my vegetarians . If you come across anything else interesting, please send me the link as I try to vary my menus all year.
That is a fabulous recipe... made it last year as an appetizer and it was a big hit with the whole gang. It's a pretty dish too! I'm making more and more non-meat dishes these days and the meat eaters gobble them up (while the vegetarians glare at them...lol.)
Thanks for the link, though. I really do appreciate your thinking of me and my vegetarians
. If you come across anything else interesting, please send me the link as I try to vary my menus all year. Then how about a blue cheese (spinach) lasagna!
Blue Cheese Lasagna - Recipes - Food Network Canada
Blue Cheese Lasagna - Recipes - Food Network Canada
Hey McCue, you might even want to alter your wellingtons. These look beautiful--and delicious.
Individual Beef Croustades with Boursin & Mushrooms
Individual Beef Croustades with Boursin & Mushrooms
ChefJune
Master Chef
Sauce Perigueux IS Madeira Sauce.... but, of course, all Madeira Sauce is not necessarily Perigueux!
Properly made, it is one of the best tasting sauces ever... imo.
ironchef
Executive Chef
ChefJune said:Sauce Perigueux IS Madeira Sauce.... but, of course, all Madeira Sauce is not necessarily Perigueux!
So that no one is confused, the base of sauce Perigueux can be basically sauce Madeira, but what makes is different is that black truffles are added. Perigueux refers to "in the style Perigord", which is a region known for their black truffles. Sometimes foie gras is also added to sauce Perigueux. Not all sauce Perigueux is a true Madeira in that although Madeira wine is used, the sauce is sometimes prepared a little differently starting from the aromatics and ending with the herbs being added. To me, they are two different sauces because of their flavor. It would be like saying that Sauce Paloise or Sauce Maltaise is a Hollandaise. It's a derivitive of Hollandaise, but it is not necessarily Hollandaise which tastes different from any of it's derivitives.
Hi everyone,
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!
Christmas dinner was wonderful. The Wellingtons turned out superb, served with a Madeira sauce. And the vegetarians enjoyed Alaskan wild salmon Wellingtons (duxelles and artichoke filling) with a white wine cream sauce.
Hor D'ourvres: Eggplant/red pepper stromboli; pan-fried onion dip (i know, I know... but it's homemade and delicious!; a spanakopita variation in phyllo cups; cheese board)
Salad: Baby greens with pomegranate vinaigrette garnished with sliced oranges and pomegranate seeds
Sides included sour cream mashed potatoes, broccoli with roasted red peppers and red onions. (No haricot verts left in the store, so I went with the broccoli, which was fine)
Desserts: Profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate ganache; Floating Islands; Greek cookies; store-bought chocolate truffles and candies.
Coffee: Sumatra blend decaf (from Whole Foods... it's really good)
Thanks for all your help, suggestions, and input.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!
Christmas dinner was wonderful. The Wellingtons turned out superb, served with a Madeira sauce. And the vegetarians enjoyed Alaskan wild salmon Wellingtons (duxelles and artichoke filling) with a white wine cream sauce.
Hor D'ourvres: Eggplant/red pepper stromboli; pan-fried onion dip (i know, I know... but it's homemade and delicious!; a spanakopita variation in phyllo cups; cheese board)
Salad: Baby greens with pomegranate vinaigrette garnished with sliced oranges and pomegranate seeds
Sides included sour cream mashed potatoes, broccoli with roasted red peppers and red onions. (No haricot verts left in the store, so I went with the broccoli, which was fine)
Desserts: Profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate ganache; Floating Islands; Greek cookies; store-bought chocolate truffles and candies.
Coffee: Sumatra blend decaf (from Whole Foods... it's really good)
Thanks for all your help, suggestions, and input.
