Beef Wellington is a preparation of fillet steak coated with pâté and then wrapped in puff pastry and baked.
It’s fit for royalty, of course.
It’s a special meal – one for you and one for kings and queens, alike.
The origin of the name is unclear, with no definite connection to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.
Leah Hyslop, writing in The Telegraph, observes that by the time Wellington became famous, meat baked in pastry was a well-established part of English cuisine, and that the dish’s similarity to the French filet de bœuf en croûte (fillet of beef in pastry) might imply that “Beef Wellington” was a “timely patriotic rebranding of a trendy continental dish.” However, she cautions, there are no 19th-century recipes for the dish. There is a mention of “fillet of beef, a la Wellington” in The Los Angeles Times of 1903, but the first occurrence of the dish itself is in the Oxford English Dictionary, which cites a 1939 New York food guide with “Tenderloin of Beef Wellington” which is cooked, left to cool and rolled in a pie crust.
Clarissa Dickson Wright argues that “This dish has nothing to do with that splendid hero, the Duke of Wellington; it was invented for a civic reception in Wellington, New Zealand, but it is a splendid addition to any party.”
Whether inspired by the splendid hero from long ago or by the spawning of a civic reception in New Zealand, Beef Wellington seems to be a dish for royal exceptions.
For those you serve, you worship the ground they walk on…
Beef Wellington
2 1/2lb beef tenderloin fillets
2 Tbs. butter
6 oz. prosciutto, very thinly sliced
4 oz. black peppercorn pâté
2 Tbs. fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk, beaten with 2 tsp. water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mushroom Wine Sauce:
2 Tbs. butter
2 cups wild mushrooms, sliced
2 large shallots, peeled and minced
2 Tbs. fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. all purpose flour (if needed)
In a large fry pan over high heat, sear he beef fillets in butter for 30-60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Flip and repeat. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface and place prosciutto in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to create a square. Spread the pâté over the prosciutto. Season the beef fillets with salt and pepper and then place them on top of the pate. Using the plastic wrap, roll the prosciutto over the beef, then roll and tie the cling film to get a nice, evenly thick log. Chill for at least 15 minutes.
Roll out the one sheet of puff pastry and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Remove the plastic wrap from the beef, then wrap the pastry around the prosciutto wrapped fillets. Invert and make sure all the sides are tucked in and under. Use a sharp knife to score the top of the Wellington.
Brush the egg wash all over the Wellington.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and brush with egg wash once again.
Bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
Meanwhile, make the red wine sauce. Heat the butter in the same pan used to sear the beef. Add the shallots and mushrooms, along with plenty of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown.
Add the fresh thyme and red wine. Reduce until very little liquid remains, over low heat. Add the cream (and flour for a thicker sauce) and whisk until thick and delicious.
Once the Wellington has finished baking, allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Serve over a small pool of the red wine sauce, along with additional fresh thyme.
Fingerling potatoes and a bold red wine are excellent accompaniments.
