Beef Wellington

Ingredients

• One 3-pound center-cut beef tenderloin roast, well trimmed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Hide ingredients for Triple recipe Duxelles (about 1 ½ cups) 1 Triple recipe Duxelles (about 1 ½ cups) (opens in new tab) Triple recipe Duxelles (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup minced shallots, onions, or green onions (white part only)
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry, dry red or white wine, Madeira, or port
  • (¼ cup heavy cream)
  • (Finely grated zest of ½ lemon)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Pinch of dried thyme or grated or ground nutmeg

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Chop very fine or pulse in a food processor until they resemble oatmeal: 8 ounces mushrooms
  2. Squeeze about ½ cup of the mushrooms at a time in a thin cotton towel, wringing them very hard to extract their juices. The mushrooms will be in a solid lump if you have squeezed hard enough.
  3. Melt in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides: 2 tablespoons butter
  4. Add and cook briefly, until softened: ¼ cup minced shallots, onions, or green onions (white part only)
  5. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they have begun to brown and there is very little liquid left, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in: 2 tablespoons dry sherry, dry red or white wine, Madeira, or port
  6. Cook until completely evaporated. Stir in: (¼ cup heavy cream); (Finely grated zest of ½ lemon); Salt and black pepper to taste; Pinch of dried thyme or grated or ground nutmeg
  7. Let cool. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Hide ingredients for 5 ounces (½ cup) foie gras, Pâté de Campagne, Chicken Liver Pâté, or store-bought liverwurst, mashed until smooth 1 5 ounces (½ cup) foie gras, Pâté de Campagne, Chicken Liver Pâté, or store-bought liverwurst, mashed until smooth (opens in new tab) 5 ounces (½ cup) foie gras, Pâté de Campagne, Chicken Liver Pâté, or store-bought liverwurst, mashed until smooth
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 to 16 slices pork belly or bacon
  • 1 ¼ pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 6 ounces well-trimmed pork, veal, or chicken liver
  • 4 ounces pork fatback, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • (½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons Cognac
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons white or black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • (⅛ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg)
  • 5 or 6 slices pork belly or bacon

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Melt in a small skillet over medium heat: 2 tablespoons butter
  2. Add and cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes: 1 small onion, finely chopped
  3. Add and cook, stirring, 1 minute more: 3 garlic cloves, minced
  4. Set the onion mixture aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of a terrine mold or 9 × 5-inch loaf pan with: 12 to 16 slices pork belly or bacon
  5. Cut and chill as directed in Grinding Meat at Home: 1 ¼ pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks; 6 ounces well-trimmed pork, veal, or chicken liver; 4 ounces pork fatback, cut into 1-inch chunks
  6. To use a food processor, pulse the chilled meat and fat in small batches, scraping the bowl frequently, until the largest pieces are about ⅓ inch across. Transfer each batch of ground meat to a large bowl as you go.
  7. To use a meat grinder, use a ⅜- or ½-inch grinding plate and run the chilled meat and fat through as directed in Grinding Meat at Home. Add the cooled onions and garlic to the bowl along with: 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; ½ cup heavy cream; (½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped); 2 tablespoons Cognac; 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced; 1 ½ teaspoons salt; 1 ½ teaspoons white or black pepper; ½ teaspoon ground allspice; (⅛ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg)
  8. Mix until well combined. Fill the lined loaf pan with the mixture and spread evenly. Place over the top: 5 or 6 slices pork belly or bacon
  9. Butter a piece of foil and cover the pan tightly. Place the loaf pan in a roasting pan and place the roasting pan on a pulled-out oven rack. Fill the roasting pan with warm water to come halfway up the sides of the pâté. Bake until the juices run clear and a thermometer inserted in the center registers 160°F, about 2 hours.
  10. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet or pour the water out of the roasting pan and place the pâté back in it. Place a small board or another loaf pan on top of the foil and weight down with a 2- or 3-pound can or other weight. Let cool, then refrigerate until firm, at least 12 hours and for up to 2 days.
  11. To serve, remove the belly or bacon from the top of the pâté. Run a sharp knife around the edges, and turn the pâté out onto a serving platter or cutting board (if the pâté sticks, set the bottom of the pan in warm water until it releases). Remove the bacon from the bottom and sides of the pâté, and serve in thick slices.
• 3 tablespoons Madeira, sherry, or vermouth
• Hide ingredients for 1 pound Puff Pastry, lightly chilled, or a 14 × 10-inch sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 1 pound Puff Pastry, lightly chilled, or a 14 × 10-inch sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (opens in new tab) 1 pound Puff Pastry, lightly chilled, or a 14 × 10-inch sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 2 ⅓ cups (290g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 5 tablespoons (70g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ¾ cup (175g) ice water
  • 3 ½ sticks (14 oz or 395g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Pulse to combine in a food processor: 2 ⅓ cups (290g) all-purpose flour; 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  2. Scatter over the flour: 5 tablespoons (70g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
  3. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle over: ¾ cup (175g) ice water
  4. Pulse just until the dough begins to come together, 10 to 15 seconds. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form it into a 5-inch square. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  5. Meanwhile, cut into ½-inch slices and freeze for 2 minutes: 3 ½ sticks (14 oz or 395g) unsalted butter
  6. Place in the food processor: 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  7. Distribute the butter slices over the flour and pulse just until the mixture looks like fine gravel. Scrape the mixture down from the processor sides and process just until smooth. Scrape onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape the butter into a 6-inch square. Wrap the butter block tightly and refrigerate while you roll out the dough.
  8. Place the dough square on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 13 × 8-inch rectangle. Brush off the excess flour. Remove the butter block from the refrigerator and unwrap it. As shown in the top three illustrations, above, center it on one half of the dough; fold the dough over the butter, completely covering it; press the dough together to seal on the three open sides. Turn the dough a quarter turn counterclockwise.
  9. Roll the dough package into a 17 × 7 ½-inch rectangle, keeping a short side facing you. Fold the bottom third of the dough up over the center of the dough. Fold the top third of the dough down over top of the first third, as though you were folding a business letter. This is called a single turn (shown on the bottom left). Rotate the dough a quarter turn counterclockwise and roll the dough once more into a 17 × 7 ½-inch rectangle. This time fold the bottom end up and the top end down to meet in the center (do not overlap), then fold the dough in half, to make 4 layers of dough, as shown on bottom center and right. This double fold is the second turn. Mark the dough with 2 finger imprints to remind yourself that you have given the dough 2 turns. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
  10. With the folded edge on the left, roll the dough out again to 17 × 7 ½ inches. Make another double fold, for the third turn. Mark with 3 finger imprints, wrap the dough, and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
  11. Roll the dough out and make another double fold for the fourth turn. Mark the dough with 4 imprints, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. Or wrap and store as directed in About Puff Pastry.
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Hide ingredients for (Sauce Meurette, Sauce Madeira, or Sauce Marchand du Vin) 1 (Sauce Meurette, Sauce Madeira, or Sauce Marchand du Vin) (opens in new tab) (Sauce Meurette, Sauce Madeira, or Sauce Marchand du Vin)
  • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
  • 1 cup chopped carrot
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ cup chopped ham or pancetta
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs parsley
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • (A dash of red wine vinegar)
  • (A dash of brandy)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Melt in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat: 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
  2. Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes: 1 cup chopped carrot; 1 cup chopped celery; 1 cup chopped onion; 4 garlic cloves, smashed; ½ cup chopped ham or pancetta
  3. Add, bring to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes: 4 cups dry red wine or 2 cups red wine and 2 cups Brown Beef Stock; 1 bay leaf; 2 sprigs thyme; 2 sprigs parsley
  4. Strain, discard the solids, and return the liquid to the saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. While the sauce reduces, mash together with a fork until the mixture forms a paste: 1 tablespoon butter, softened; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  5. Whisk the butter-flour mixture into the sauce at the last second, simmer briefly until thickened, and remove from the heat. If desired, stir into the sauce: (1 cup Sautéed Mushrooms)
  6. Season with: Salt and black pepper to taste; (A dash of red wine vinegar); (A dash of brandy)