Ann Cox Eastes shares her recipe for an alternative holiday main dish; Classic Beef Wellington.
CLASSIC BEEF WELLINGTON
1 center cut beef tenderloin roast, chain removed (about 2 lbs)
1 T olive oil, divided
½ t salt
½ t pepper, divided
8 oz mushrooms
1 large shallot
2 T dry red wine
2 T Dijon mustard
3/4 t dried thyme
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1/2pkg)
Heat 1 ½ teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Combine salt and ¼ t pepper; press evenly onto all surfaces of beef roast. Place roast in skillet and brown evenly on all sides. Remove roast from skillet. Heat oven to 425F. Place mushrooms and shallot in a food processor; pulse on and off until finely chopped but do not overprocess. Heat remaining 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms and shallot; cook 4-6 minutes or until tender and all liquid is evaporated; stirring often. Add wine; cook 2-3 minutes until all liquid is evaporated. Stir in mustard, thyme, remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet to medium sized bowl; cool.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place in oven. Unfold pastry dough on a lightly floured cutting board. Roll pastry out to 12-9-inch rectangle; lay dough with shortest edge toward you. Spread mushroom mixture onto pastry dough, leaving ½-inch border around edge of dough. Place roast in center of mushrooms. Fold pastry dough neatly around roast, stretching dough if necessary. Cut off excess pastry dough; press to seal, overlapping edges. Remove baking sheet from oven and dust lightly with flour. Place pastry wrapped roast, seam side down, on baking sheet. Cut 4 2-inch vents in the top of pastry.
Bake in a 425F oven for 35-50 minutes or until golden brown and instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 135F for medium rare; 150F for medium. Transfer Beef Wellington to carving board. Let stand 10 minutes. Temperature will continue to rise about 10F to reach 145F for medium rare and 160F for medium. Carve into slices and serve with favorite vegetables. Yield: 4-6 servings
Recipe from the Tennessee Beef Industry Council
