December 31, 2005
Beef Wellington Menu
For Secret Agent Man.
I am still looking for a recommended Beef Wellington recipe, but here is a menu, so if you have a recipe you like, this should work. Meanwhile I will keep searching:
With cocktails:
Let's start with beef! Beef is the focus, so let's let it make its introduction right here. Beef tartare, with the egg yolks mixed in, and served on toast rounds.
At table:
1. Watercress soup. Make a standard potato leek soup and puree with watercress. Finish with cream, fresh cracked pepper. Float a thyme crouton on each bowl.
2. Celery root and toasted hazelnut salad.
3. Beef Wellington, served with:
3a. Truffled mashed potatoes (standard mashed potatoes, finished with cream and a drizzling of white truffle oil)
3b. Brussels sprouts. If you can buy them still attached to the stalk, do it. Remove. Pick off any leaves that are not tightly bound to the little heads. Steam until soft. Crisp some finely chopped pancetta in olive oil. Lightly brown the sprouts. Finish with lemon juice and freshly shaved reggiano parmiggiana.
4. Since you will probably be serving a cabernet or a Bordeaux, serve a room temperature ripe brie with sweet baguette rounds to go with the leftover wine.
5. Small slices of flourless chocolate cake with a raspberry sauce (get frozen berries, cook with butter and sugar) and freshly whipped cream (a hint of sugar and vanilla).
6. Cognac and cigars. For the men get Sancho Panza Maduros, for the women CAO Moontrance or for both, CAO Earth Nectar. The two CAO cigars are flavored, and, while I normally frown on that sort of thing, they are quite good.
Posted by erik at December 31, 2005 1:15 AM[The URL below is to the recipe posted. It looks very good - Blogduce]
http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/F/fword/recipe_beefwellington.html
Beef Wellington with Sautéed Potatoes and wilted Baby Gem lettuce
Serves 2
Watch the video recipe
Ingredients:
• 400g Beef fillet
• 400g Flat mushrooms
• 4 slices Parma ham
• English mustard for brushing meat
• 200g puff pastry
• 2 Egg yolks
• Approx 8 Charlotte/New potatoes
• 1 Clove garlic, crushed
• 1 Sprig thyme
• 2 large baby gem lettuce
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Mustard vinaigrette, optional
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 200c.
Heat some oil in a large pan and quickly fry the seasoned beef all over until it's brown. Remove and allow to cool. The point of this is simply to sear the beef and seal all those juices in, you don't want to cook the meat at this stage. Allow to cool and brush generously with the mustard.
Roughly chop the mushrooms and blend in a food processor to form a puree. Scrape the mixture into a hot, dry pan and allow the water to evaporate. When sufficiently dry (the mixture should be sticking together easily), set aside and cool.
Roll out a generous length of cling film, lay out the four slices of Parma ham, each one slightly overlapping the last. With a pallet knife spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the ham.
Place the beef fillet in the middle and keeping a tight hold of the cling film from the outside edge, neatly roll the parma ham and mushrooms over the beef into a tight barrel shape. Twist the ends to secure the clingfilm. Refrigerate for 10 -15 minutes, this allows the Wellington to set and helps keep the shape.
Roll out the pastry quite thinly to a size which will cover your beef. Unwrap the meat from the cling film. Egg wash the edge of the pastry and place the beef in the middle. Roll up the pastry, cut any excess off the ends and fold neatly to the 'underside'. Turnover and egg wash over the top. Chill again to let the pastry cool, approximately 5 minutes. Egg wash again before baking at 200c for 35 - 40 minutes. Rest 8 -10 minutes before slicing.
Par boil the potatoes in salted water. Quarter them and leave the skin on. Sauté in olive oil and butter with the garlic and thyme, until browned and cooked through. Season. Remove the thyme and garlic before serving.
Separate the outside leaves of the baby gem (leaving the smaller inner ones for salads) and very quickly sauté them in a pan of olive oil with a little salt and pepper - just enough to wilt them.
Serve hearty slices of the Wellington alongside the sautéed potatoes and wilted baby gems. A classic mustard vinaigrette makes a great dressing.
Posted by: at December 20, 2006 7:33 AMThanks!! Can't wait for the beef wellington recipe!!
Posted by: SecretAgentMan at January 1, 2006 12:42 PM