While I know my version is not necessarily a mini replica of a true Beef Wellington, not using foie gras or chicken liver pate, nor do I make the mushroom/onion mixture called duxelles. Still, it comes out most marvelously flavored and I have always had raves when I make it.
And then there is the cost of using filet mignons. If the cost of filet mignons is an issue, then why not try making Chicken Wellingtons? All that is really needed is skinless, boneless chicken breasts, mushrooms, onions and cream cheese. And of course, the puff pastry to wrap them.
I use Puff Pastry for many applications, such as these shown below. In the first of the pictures, I had a piece of leftover puff pastry dough, brushed it with butter and sprinkled with some grated cheese, black pepper and pine nuts. I rolled this up into a log, sliced and set the slices on a baking sheet. The oven was already heated for whatever else I was making with the Puff Pastry, and baked these until golden. They are delightful. In the second picture are Mock Wellington Bites, created for a wine tasting, and they are insanely delicious. A little finicky to make, but well worth it, as like with many of my appetizers, they can be made ahead and frozen until needed. And the third? Smokies in Puff Pastry - probably my husband's most preferred appetizer. I know a lot of people who grab pre-made crescent roll or other dough that comes in a tube and use it to wrap little Smokies. I prefer to use Puff Pastry dough, and I can say with some certainty that there is no going back!
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| Palmiers with leftover dough, Mock Wellington Bites, Smokies in Puff Pastry |
Are you Afraid of Puff Pastry?
If you are, then don't be. Puff pastry, even store bought (and the only brand I have ever found in any supermarket I have ever frequented is Pepperidge Farms), can make anything it is used for come out extra special. Puff pastry (if making it oneself) is made to puff up by repeated rolling and folding the dough with butter inside, creating layer upon layer of butter filled goodness. The butter trapped lovingly in between the pastry layers creates steam when baked, causing the layers to puff. The lovely layers come out lightly crisped and shatteringly good in taste and texture. Pre-made dough, with all the work taken out of it (even without butter, but some other fat), makes it so very easy to use, with only a couple of very simple rules to keep in mind: |
| Unfolded dough with edges trimmed |
- Allow the pastry to thaw sufficiently before trying to roll it out. The pastry is folded in three and frozen, right out of the box. Trying to open the tri-fold without being thawed means you will have three small, narrow panels, rather than one full sheet.
- As the dough is formed from layers and layers of dough and butter, this "lamination" must be kept in place or the dough will not puff. Remember that rolling out and cutting the dough is perfectly fine, but do not re-roll the scraps. They won't puff when baking, or at least not enough to make them worth your while.
- Once you roll out the dough, for whatever application, trim a very narrow rim from the outermost edges, as these may have compressed and cause the dough to rise unevenly. This is only for the outer edges of the sheet of dough as it comes from the package. Once those edges are trimmed, proceed to cut the remainder as needed for your application.
Beef Wellingtons
Now that my little lesson is over, I would like to share my recipes. I will start with Individual Beef Wellingtons, as that is where I started. |
| Individual Beef Wellington |
To make these, rather than create a mushroom and onion mixture called duxelles, I used one large Portobella mushroom cap, approximately the same diameter as the filet mignon it will set upon. Under the mushroom cap I apply a butter mixture with fresh herbs. The filet itself can be 8 ounces, though these get quite large with other things on a plate, but 6 or 8 ounces will work. I use partially fried bacon (to release much of the bacon grease before wrapping inside the puff pastry) to wrap around the meat, which is also seared briefly until brown before wrapping. I grant that it is a bit of a juggling act to assemble all this, but it is so delicious, guests will forgive if it doesn't look like a chef prepared them.
Individual Beef Wellingtons
Makes 4 servings
1 sheet from a box Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets
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| Individual Beef Wellington |
4 (6 ounce) filet mignons
4 portobello mushrooms, cap only, each about the diameter of the filet mignons
4 (or up to 8) strips of bacon, depending on length needed
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons each of minced fresh parsley, thyme, chives & tarragon
1 teaspoon Beef & Pork Seasoning
1 egg, for egg wash
Thaw the Puff Pastry sheet, at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until pliable.
Separately, soften the butter, then mix in the fresh herbs and the Beef & Pork Seasoning until completely blended; set aside. Salt and pepper the filets and sear them on high heat - both sides, just till nicely browned; set aside to cool slightly. Partially cook the bacon. It should almost be cooked, but still soft (it will cook more when in the oven, also - this first fry is more to release excess grease).
Preheat oven to 375. Roll out the Puff Pastry sheet to a 14" square. Cut in 4 equal squares of 7 x 7". Divide the herbed butter mixture between the four mushroom caps, spreading into the under side of the cap. Set one of the filets onto each of the Puff Pastry squares, setting one of the mushroom caps, dome side up, onto each filet. Wrap bacon around each of the seared filets. This gets tricky! You'll need to hold onto the bacon to keep it in place while wrapping the puff pastry around it! Have a small bowl of water nearby. With one hand, secure the bacon, using one or two slices that will fit all around the perimeter of the meat. With the other, bring one corner of pastry up to the top of the filet. Dab this corner with a bit of water, so the next corner will stick to it. Repeat with the next corners, bringing to the top (as with apple dumplings), affixing each corner with a little dab of water to help adhere and press to keep in place. Place packet onto a rimmed baking sheet and repeat this process with the other three filets.
Brush the Puff Pastry packets with an egg wash (1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 - 2 tablespoons water). Do not allow the egg to drip down the sides or it will glue the pastry to the pan. Bake for about 25 minutes, or till golden.
This timing will give you a filet that is nicely pink in the center. If other stages of doneness are preferred, adjust timing accordingly.
NOTES: When herbs are abundant, I like to make up butter pats with herbs and keep in freezer. I take a goodly amount of an herb (such as chives, tarragon, parsley, thyme, rosemary), chop it very fine and add the most I can get into a stick of softened unsalted butter, so that it is only the butter that holds it together. Cut little pieces of aluminum foil and drop 1 tsp on a bit of foil (about 3 x 3") and fold it to make a little tiny packet. I keep these in the freezer, so that any time I need a little added "flavor burst" it is there, handy. If this is the case, thaw one tiny packet of each of the herbs per filet, plus the Beef and Pork Seasoning to proceed.
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Chicken Wellingtons
My Chicken Wellingtons are made a little differently. For these, I do cook the duxelles mixture of mushrooms and onion, this then gets mixed into cream cheese. The chicken, as chicken breasts are not already shaped like nice little round cylinders, has to have its size and shape taken into account. Here are some ideas.If you are looking at using either a 6 or 8-ounce piece of chicken, one of two things can be done.
- If the skinless, boneless chicken breasts are quite small, simply tuck the long "tail" of the meat underneath, skewering it with a toothpick to make an approximation of a rounded, somewhat rectangular shape. Then proceed to salt and pepper and saute as stated in the recipe. Before wrapping the chicken into the Puff Pastry, remove the toothpick - the chicken will retain its shape nicely.
- If the skinless, boneless chicken breasts are very large, just cut off the "tail" ends, leaving approximately 6 - 8 ounces worth of the meat, and save the little leftover bits of chicken for another use. Salt and pepper the larger piece of meat and sauté as stated.
Individual Chicken Wellingtons
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| Individual Chicken Wellington |
1 pastry sheet from a package frozen Puff Pastry sheets
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (see above)
Salt & pepper, to taste
2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
½ pound mushrooms, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped finely
½ cup dry Sherry or dry white wine, optional2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoons parsley, chopped
4 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 egg, for egg wash
Thaw pastry 30 minutes, or until pliable. Read section above about prepping chicken. Sprinkle prepped chicken with salt and pepper. In medium skillet, brown the chicken in 1½ tablespoons butter; set aside.
Add remaining tablespoon of butter to the same skillet. Add mushrooms and saute until all liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown in spots. Add in the onions and continue to cook until the onions and mushrooms are golden. Stir in the Sherry or white wine with the fresh thyme and parsley, turn heat to high, cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the square of thawed puff pastry to a 14" square; cut into four - 7" squares.
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese with the mustard and the cooled onion/mushroom mixture. Spread each pastry square with 2 tablespoons of this mixture, leaving at least one inch of the edges bare; top each square with a cooled chicken cutlet. Have a small bowl with water nearby. Bring up one corner of one pastry to the top of the chicken, dab the corner of the pastry with water. Bring up the next corner, dabbing with water, and repeat with remaining two corners. Press to seal. Place packet seam side down on a baking sheet. Repeat with all other cutlets. Brush tops with egg wash (1 egg, lightly beaten with a tablespoon of water), but do not drip the egg down to the baking sheet or it will glue itself in place. Bake 25 minutes or until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.
Individual Vegetarian Wellington
Yes, I did create a vegetarian version, Individual Tempeh Wellingtons, once, using tempeh, a fermented soybean product. To give the tempeh some flavor (similarly to tofu, it picks up flavors from other things with it), I first cut one rectangle piece into two pieces, then immersed them into a very richly seasoned vegetable stock and cooked them for a few minutes. When ready to use, I fried the two pieces until crisp, then stacked them atop the mixture for the Chicken Wellingtons, above , then wrapped as for the Chicken and baked. Truly, this version was so stellar I was hard pressed to say which I liked better.My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.
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