Individual Beef Wellington

Make the Mushroom Duxelles

Make the Mushroom Duxelles

1. Clean mushrooms if necessary using a damp paper towel. Finely chop the mushrooms, garlic and shallots with a knife or add to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the butter. Saute the shallot mixture until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are caramelized. The mushrooms should appear dry. Mix in the fresh thyme and set aside to cool. When cooled to room temperature, place in bowl and refrigerate.
   

Prepare Filet Mignon

1. Pat the surface of the meat dry with a paper towel if wet. Lightly coat entire surface with oil. Lightly salt the beef. (Note: there is salt in the prosciutto so you don't want to be excessive when salting the meat.)
   
2. Preheat cast iron or stainless steel skillet to medium-high heat.
3. Quickly sear all sides of the beef including the ends.
   
4. Remove beef from skillet. Cool to room temperature.

Prepare Prosciutto and Duxelles Layer

1. Lay out two large pieces of plastic wrap on your countertop. Lay down approximately 8-10 overlapping pieces of prosciutto being careful not to rip the slices. You want the prosciutto to be able to wrap entirely around the filet pieces.
   
2. Remove the duxelles from refrigerator and spread an even layer of duxelles to cover the prosciutto. A spatula with a little bit of cooking spray on it helps to push it down evenly.
   

Wrap Up The Filets

1. Coat the filets in dijon mustard. Place meat in center of duxelles. 

   

2. Use the plastic wrap to gently lift the prosciutto up and over the beef tenderloin. You want to wrap it as tight as possible in the plastic wrap to shape the Wellington. Place in the refrigerator to chill. This may be done a day ahead of time.

   

Prepare the Puff Pastry and Wrap the Wellington

1. Lightly flour your countertop with flour. Unwrap your defrosted puff pastry. If it is too rigid, allow pastry to warm up slightly until it is pliable. Use a rolling pin to gently roll out the pastry until it is approximately 1/3 inch thick.
2. Place the filet onto the rolled out pastry dough. Fold the puff pastry tightly around the prosciutto-wrapped filet. At the seam where the dough meets to seal up, brush one side of the dough at the seam with some of the egg wash. Press the dough together completely to form a tight seal and fold under if excess dough. This seam will go on the bottom of the pan and the smooth area face up. Brush the top of the Wellington with egg wash and it is ready to bake. Sprinkle dough with a bit of kosher salt after brushing with egg wash.
   

Bake the Beef Wellington

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Set up a rack about 1/3 up from the bottom of the oven (this will ensure the bottom of the wellington browns nicely).

2. Lightly spray a small sheet pan with baking spray and place prepared Wellington on pan. Score the pastry to allow steam to vent.

   
3. Bake until Wellington reads 110-115°F with a cooking alarm thermometer that you leave in the beef while cooking or when it registers 110-115°F with an instant read thermometer.
4. Remove Wellington from oven and rest uncovered for at minimum 20 minutes. NOTE: temperature of the meat will continue to rise for at least 20 minutes afterwards. The finished temperature should finish at 130-135°F depending on the diameter of the Wellington you are cooking.
   
5. Slice the Beef Wellington in half and serve immediately.