Monday, January 12, 2015

Beef wellington recipe

Almost a month late to post this and I did contemplate if it's even worthwhile to do so. But if I don't, I'll probably forget what I have cooked last Christmas. December is a magical time of the year and what better way to end the year than being surrounded by your loved ones. Hence the need to cook something fancy and cross your fingers that it will turn out alright.

Been meaning to tackle making beef wellington for a long time but due to lack of commitment, I frequently push that thought out of mind. Recipe wise, it's not complicated as long as you pay attention to seasoning, quality of ingredients and most importantly, timing. My piece of sirloin steak was not cheap and should I overcook it, it would have been a very depressing Christmas.

Ingredients:
A decent sized sirloin steak
2 sheets of puff pastry
200g of mushrooms
Rosemary
3 cloves of garlic
6 pieces of Prosciutto
70ml white wine

1. Generously season your steak with salt and pepper. Don't be stingy here.
2. Blitz mushrooms until it resembles semi-chunky crumbs (not a paste).
3. Melt butter in a pan, add your garlic and rosemary. Allow garlic to brown slightly then incorporate mushrooms. Continue to cook until mushrooms have lost most of their moisture and truly resembles crumbs at this stage. You may then add in your wine. Cook mushrooms until the wine has evaporated. Remember, you do not want a soggy dish. Voila, that's your mushroom duxelle.
4. While mushroom duxelle is cooling, heat a pan on high heat and drizzle with olive oil.
5. When the pan is smoking hot, place your sirloin steak on it. Allow about 3 minutes on each side, depending on the steak's thickness. Be careful not to overcook. Once completed, take out to cool.
6.Thaw your puff pastry sheets and neatly align the prosciutto on it before smearing on a layer of the mushroom duxelle.
7. Place the cooled steak on the mushroom duxelle and tightly wrap it with the puff pastry. Take your time.
8. Clingwrap the entire roll and refridgerate overnight.
9. Heat oven to 220C. Egg wash your wellington and feel free to dress it with leftover pieces of pastry.
10. Place wellington in the oven over a tray to prevent the juices from making the pastry soggy. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 180 and bake for a further 20 minutes.
11. At this stage you may serve it or preferably, allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.






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