BEEF WELLINGTON, BLACKBERRY SAUCE, WHIPPED POTATOES, GLAZED BABY CARROTS
SERVES 4
For a successful Wellington, first you’ll sear the beef on all four sides to build an initial layer of flavor. Then you’ll brush the hot-out-of-the-pan beef with mustard, roll the beef in a layer of prosciutto and a concentrated mushroom filling known as duxelles, and wrap the whole thing in puff pastry (at this point you can refrigerate the Wellington overnight if you’re planning your meal ahead). Then it’s into the oven at a low temperature and cooked to medium rare.
When you’ve declared your Wellington done, let it rest for about ten minutes to relax and reabsorb its juices for a filet that’s succulent, tender, and worthy of Hell’s Kitchen. Whipped or mashed potatoes are a must to accompany your Wellington, and a drizzle of blackberry sauce serves as a sweet-tart finale. You’ll find this special dish in the Hell’s Kitchen Classic menu (here) and the Surf and Turf menu (here).
MUSHROOM DUXELLES
1 pound cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced chives
BUILDING THE WELLINGTON
2 pounds filet mignon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
¼ cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
½ pound prosciutto di Parma
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
BLACKBERRY SAUCE
8 ounces blackberries
¾ cup red wine
¾ cup brown chicken stock (see here)
1 heaping tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons seedless blackberry jam
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
WHIPPED POTATOES
1¾ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup cream
Freshly ground black pepper
CARROTS
24 baby carrots
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
FOR THE MUSHROOM DUXELLES
ADD mushrooms, salt, and pepper to a food processor and process until they are finely minced, forming a rough paste.
IN a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add mushroom paste. Spread the mixture evenly over the surface and cook on a medium heat until the moisture in the paste is mostly evaporated, 15–20 minutes, and the mixture has the consistency of a spreadable pâté. Remove from heat, stir in the chives, and let cool.
TO BUILD THE WELLINGTON
SEAR the Filet.
PAT filet mignon dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the filet mignon and brown from 1–2 minutes on all sides. Remove from heat and place on a cutting board. Brush Dijon mustard onto the filet and allow to cool.
ROLL THE BEEF WELLINGTON
PLACE a sided baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
ON a cutting board, lay out a long piece of plastic wrap. In the middle of the wrap, lay out the prosciutto shingle-style to form a rectangle large enough to encompass the whole filet. Spread mushroom duxelles in a thin layer over the prosciutto. Place the filet on top of the mushrooms. Use the plastic wrap to help in rolling the beef up tightly in the duxelles-covered prosciutto, tucking in the ends so the beef is completely encompassed. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
IN a bowl, mix together egg yolk and milk.
ON a floured surface, gently roll out puff pastry until it is ¼ inch thick, no thinner. Depending on size of the pastry sheet, two overlapping sheets can be used to ensure the filet will be completely covered and sealed. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and generously brush the pastry with the egg wash. Bring pastry up and around the beef and seal tightly. Pinch the ends closed and trim off any excess puff pastry. Refrigerate for 5–10 minutes to let it firm up again.
REMOVE Wellington from the refrigerator. Place the Wellington seam side down on the preheated baking sheet. Brush the top of the puff pastry with the remaining egg wash and score it with a sharp paring knife. Sprinkle with sea salt and place pan in the oven.
BAKE for approximately 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the steak reaches 120°F for medium rare.
REMOVE from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
FOR THE BLACKBERRY SAUCE
PLACE the blackberries, red wine, and stock in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes until the blackberries have softened.
PUSH the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and discard the seeds and pulp. Return the sauce to the saucepan over medium-high heat, add the honey and jam, and bring to a boil, cooking until the mixture reduces by half and thickens to a smooth sauce. Remove from the heat and swirl in the butter. Season to taste and set aside to keep warm.
FOR THE MASHED POTATOES
PUT the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by two inches. Add ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer, cover the pot partially, and cook until the potatoes are very tender when tested with the tip of a sharp paring knife, 20–25 minutes.
DRAIN the potatoes, reserving some of the cooking water.
COMBINE the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
PUT the potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill and return them to the pot over low heat. Add the hot cream-and-butter mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. If the potatoes are too thick, add a small amount of the reserved cooking water until they are the consistency you like. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside to keep warm.
FOR THE CARROTS
BRING a quart of salted water to a boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready.
ADD the carrots and cook about 4 minutes until they are crisp-tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the carrots to the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots and toss to coat; cook until heated through. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
TO PLATE
MOUND the mashed potatoes in the center of each plate. Top with sliced beef and drizzle with blackberry sauce.
