Spinach Artichoke Beef Wellington Food

MUMMIFIED BEEF WELLINGTON

Steps:

• For the beef wellington: Season the beef with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and tenderloin and sear 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set aside to cool.
• For the mushroom duxelles: Add the mushrooms, garlic and shallot to a food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely chopped. Heat the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Add the mushroom mixture and stir. Cook, stirring every couple of minutes, until the mushrooms begin to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, deglaze with the sherry, then add the fresh thyme. Set aside to cool.
• Place a piece of plastic wrap on a work surface and lay the prosciutto slices in the middle, overlapping them slightly to create a rectangle. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the prosciutto. Place the cooled tenderloin in the middle of the rectangle, then roll the prosciutto over the tenderloin using the plastic wrap until it's wrapped tight. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a rectangle large enough to envelop the tenderloin. Using a pizza cutter, make 1/2-inch slices halfway through each side of the rectangle, making sure you do not intersect the cuts.
• Remove the tenderloin from the plastic and place in the middle of the puff pastry sheet. Start at the bottom (or the "feet" of the mummy) and wrap the pastry strips around the tenderloin, alternating sides. Make sure to tuck the end of each pastry strip under the tenderloin to secure. No need to be precise--this is a mummy! Continue until you are about 4 inches from the top. Leave a hole for the "face" about 1 inch thick. Continue wrapping until the "head" is completely covered. Position the olive "eyes." Transfer the mummy to a greased baking sheet and brush the pastry with the egg wash.
• Bake until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F, 35 to 40 minutes.
• For the red wine sauce: Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until softened and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze with the red wine, bring to a simmer and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beef stock, bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with the flour in a small bowl with a fork. Reduce the heat under the skillet to low, slowly whisk in the butter and flour mixture and cook until the sauce thickens to the consistency of maple syrup, about 10 minutes.
• Let the tenderloin rest for 10 minutes, then slice into 2-inch rounds and serve with the sauce.

BEEF WELLINGTON WITH SPINACH & BACON

Steps:

• Pat the beef fillet with kitchen paper to remove any blood, then season. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan until very hot, then sear and turn the fillet with tongs for 8-10 mins until it's well browned on all sides - hold it up to sear both ends, too. Set the beef aside on a tray to catch any juices. Take the pan off the heat, but don't clean it.
• Tip the spinach into a colander and pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt it, then pour over cold water to cool it down. Squeeze the spinach as hard as you can to extract as much liquid as possible, then set aside. Lay a large sheet of cling film on your work surface. Overlap the pancetta or bacon on it in a row, then cover with another sheet of cling film. Use a rolling pin to roll it out to a thin layer. Remove the top sheet of cling film and scatter the spinach over the pancetta. Replace the cling film and roll again. Carefully peel away the top layer of cling film again, and sit the beef on top. Using the edge of the cling film, lift and roll the pancetta and spinach to encase the beef and roll everything into a tight sausage. For best results, place in the freezer for 30 mins to firm up - do not leave for longer or cooking times will be affected.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to a rectangle a little larger than your Good Food magazine. Trim the edges to neaten, then lightly brush the pastry with egg yolk. Carefully unwrap the beef parcel and lay in the middle of the pastry. Fold the shorter edges over the beef, then roll the whole thing around the fillet to encase. For a really neat finish, get another clean sheet of cling film and roll the wellington into a tight sausage again. Chill for at least 30 mins, or up to one day.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and put a lightly oiled baking tray in it. Unwrap the wellington, brush with egg yolk, then use the back of a knife to score a neat criss-cross or checkerboard pattern all over it. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and transfer, sealed-side down, to the hot baking tray. Roast for 10 mins, then reduce the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and continue to cook for 25 mins for rare meat, 30 mins for medium rare, 35 mins for medium, and about 45 mins for well done, making sure the pastry doesn't burn (cover it with foil if it starts to darken). Remove from the oven and immediately brush with more egg yolk. Leave to rest for 10 mins.
• To make the gravy, heat the butter in the beef pan. Fry the shallot, thyme and bay leaf, scraping the crispy bits off the pan with a wooden spoon. Scatter over the flour and brown, then add the red wine and boil to a purple paste. Add the beef stock cube and any juice from the resting beef, and simmer for 5 mins. Pass through a sieve into a pan and season to taste. Use a sharp knife to carve the wellington into six thick slices and serve with the gravy on the side.

INDIVIDUAL BEEF WELLINGTONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Season both sides of each filet with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the filets and sear for 1 minute on each side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.
• Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 14-inch square, and cut into 4 (7-inch) squares.
• Spread one-quarter of the mushroom duxelles on top of each filet and top each with 1 slice of the pate, pressing to flatten. Place one filet, mushroom side down, in the center of a puff pastry square. Using a pastry brush or your finger, paint the inside edges of the pastry with egg wash. Fold the pastry over the filet as though wrapping a package and press the edges to seal. Place the packages seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the egg wash over the tops and sides of each package and bake until the pastry is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees F for medium-rare, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
• Place the Beef Wellingtons in the center of 4 large plates, and accompany with the sauce and vegetables of choice.
• Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, salt, and white pepper, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to caramelize, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan, until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool before using.