You may ask why this classic British dish has any claim to Ireland? Well, it turns out that the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley was born in Dublin Ireland in 1769, in to an upper -class Anglo-Irish family. The dish is said to have been created for the Duke of Wellington to celebrate his victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
The dish is rich and delicious – very much worthy of a special occasion, such as a birthday or family reunion. It has a buttery texture, with the flakey pastry and tender beef. It’s also pretty easy to make, as long as you take time and care to remove the moisture when making the mushroom filling, and to to seal the pastry, avoiding a soggy beef wellington. Other than that, I would also recommend preparing the Beef Wellington the day before, (but leaving the final puff pastry wrapping close to when you plan to serve).
When the beef wellington has had time to rest overnight in the refrigerator in the plastic wrap, it will only improve, both the shape, and depth of flavor. We served it with a simple jus that I made from the trimmed tenderloin, gently searing them with a shallot, adding a little red wine and beef stock, reducing and then straining it.
Of course, being Irish we served roasted potatoes on the side and some asparagus spears too. Again, it’s not an every day dish, but one that is worth the time and effort, and I do hope you enjoy the recipe, as much as we loved preparing and of course… eating it!
Beef Wellington
· (for the beef)
· 3 Lbs. center cut beef tenderloin (trimmed)
· 2 Tbsp. butter
· 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
· 10 slices of prosciutto/Parma ham
· 1 lb. of puff pastry (thawed to room temperature)
· 1 large egg (beaten with a little water)
· Course sea salt
· (for the mushroom filling)
· 1 ½ lbs. of mushrooms (white button or a mixed variety)
· 2 Tbsp of shallots (diced)
· 3 cloves of garlic (diced)
· 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
· Kosher salt and pepper
· 3 Tbsp olive oil
How to make it
1. Tuck the thinner end of the tenderloin in and secure it with kitchen twine to create an even log shape, using more twine, as necessary.
2. Season the tenderloin generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Add the butter into a hot heavy based skillet and sear the tenderloin for just a minute on all sides. Set aside to cool.
3. To make the mushroom filling, pulse the mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper together in the food processor until they are finely chopped. Add olive oil to the skillet and cook over medium high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, (that will take 6-7 minutes).
4. Layer the prosciutto out flat, overlapping over a sheet of plastic wrap to form a rectangle large enough to cover the beef. Spread the mushroom filling evenly all over the prosciutto.
5. Remove any twine from the beef and brush it all over with Dijon mustard. Slowly roll the beef up tightly in the prepared prosciutto to keep its shape, using the plastic wrap to your advantage, to make an even size log. Seal the sides, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, wide enough to wrap the beef. Take the beef from the refrigerator, removing the plastic wrap. Place the beef in the center of the prepared puff pastry, and fold over the edges, sealing with the egg wash using a pastry brush. Trim any excess pastry and brush the outside with the egg wash. Season with coarse salt.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes medium rare (the ends of the beef will be less pink than the center). Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
With all my love from Judith (Shamrock and Peach)