Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Mini Beef Wellingtons


Elegant & easy!

Mini Beef Wellingtons

Prep Time: 15 min

Inactive Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 45 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 24 pieces

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 24 (1-inch) cubes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 ounces mushrooms, stemmed and finely chopped
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • Chopped garlic to taste
  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (recommended: Dufour)

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season all sides with salt and pepper. Quickly sear the beef on 2 sides only until deep golden brown about 4 minutes total; do not overcook. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Add the mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown and release liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and continue cooking until mushroom mixture dries out, is golden brown and shallots are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Preheat to the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

On a work surface, roll 1 sheet of puff pastry to a 10 by 14-inch rectangle. Put teaspoon-sized mounds of mushroom mixture on the pastry, evenly spacing them in 4 rows of 3. Top the mushroom mound with a piece of beef, seared side up. With a sharp knife, cut the pastry into even squares around the meat and mushrooms. Working 1 at a time, pull 2 opposite sides of pastry up over each beef piece, then fold the ends over the top to make a packet. Invert and arrange the packets seam side down on the baking sheet and press them lightly to seal the pastry. Repeat with the remaining beef, mushrooms, and pastry.

Bake the Wellingtons until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven to a serving platter and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

The secret to not overcooking the meat is to prep the meat and the mushroom/shallot mixture in advance and refrigerate them. Then when you are ready to make them, put them in the pastry cold straight from the fridge, don't bring to room temperature.

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