This looks very like the version I prepare at home on Xmas day. Basically it is a beef fillet (I think that is "tenderloin steak" in USA) topped with a mushroom/pate duxelle and then wrapped in puff pastry (sorry don't know if there is another name for that!). The recipe below is very similar to the one I use. The light pancakes are merely used to help stop the pastry going soggy and disappear in the cooking. Sorry I can't send links & have had to paste & copy. Apologies that this is UK format!
Enjoy
Doug
Chef James Martin's version of a tasty classic with pancakes, to guarantee a juicy beef centre.
Cooking Time:
50 minutes
Serves:
6 people
Preparation Time:
35 minutes
Ingredients:
For the pancakes:
3 eggs
6 tbsp plain flour
150ml milk
Knob of butter
For the mushroom duxelle:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
Knob of butter
350g button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
For the Wellington:
1kg beef fillet
1 packet ready rolled puff pastry
75g smooth chicken paté
1 Egg, and 1 egg yolk, beaten together
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. For the pancakes, whisk together the eggs and flour. Add the milk, whisking to give a batter that will thinly coat the back of a spoon. Be careful not to over whisk at this stage or the batter won't be light. Heat a crepe pan or non-stick frying pan until really hot. Add a knob of butter and using a ladle, put in enough batter to thinly coat the base of the pan. Cook until golden then flip and cook the other side. Tip out onto a plate covered with a square of greaseproof paper. Use up the batter to make several pancakes, stacking them together between layers of greaseproof. Freeze any not required for later use. For the mushroom duxelle, fry the onion and garlic in butter until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat until dry. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. For the Wellington, season the beef with black pepper and sear in a hot dry pan to brown on all sides. Now roll out the pastry a little thinner. Lay 2 pancakes on top and spread the pate over the centre. Spoon over the mushroom duxelle and lay the beef in the centre. Tuck in the end edges of the pancakes and bring up the pasty around the meat to make a parcel. Use a little of the beaten egg to seal the edges. Place on a baking tray with the sealed edge underneath so that the juices do not escape and brush with the remaining egg. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes, or a little longer if you don't like your beef rare. Leave to rest before slicing.
This recipe comes courtesy of James Martin's Christmas Feasts, Tuesday 15th December at 9pm on Good Food.
She obviously had no idea what Beef Wellington was!
