My First Follower!!!

Welcome to my first follower - Amanda.  It doesn't matter that she is my #2 daughter, she's the one who convinced me to start this blog, and I basically had to shame her into following me.  Just kidding Manda!  Thanks for getting on and becoming a follower!

Last post I mentioned that one of the guests at the food demo asked about Beef Wellington.  I gave an explanation of what it was, but not a recipe for how to make it.  It's not really that difficult, you just have to have the patience to follow all the steps.  You will 1 tenderloin of beef, one medium onion - diced, 2 cups chopped mushrooms (I like to use cremini), 2 tablespoons olive oil,  4 tablespoons butter separated (2 regular, 2 softened), 1 package puff pastry (there are usually 2 packages per box.  You will only need one of the two packages), one egg yolk - beaten, salt and pepper to taste, 2 1/2 cups veal or beef stock, 1/4 cup dry red wine.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Clean and trim the tenderloin of all silver skin and fat deposits.  Heat a grill pan on high heat.  Cover the tenderloin with the olive oil and sprinkle on all sides with salt and pepper.  Sear the meat on all sides then let sit and cool.  Deglaze the pan with the red wine and reserve.  While the meat is cooling, heat a saute pan on medium high heat.  When it is hot, add 2 of the tablespoons of butter.  When the butter has stopped bubbling, add the onion and a pinch of salt and pepper and saute until translucent - about 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook until they have given off all their liquid.  Remove from the heat and let cool.  Place the puff pastry on a clean, flat,  floured surface and roll out until it is large enough to completely encase the tenderloin.  Fold the skinny tail end of the tenderloin against itself and secure with kitchen twine.  Mix the 2 tablespoons of softened butter in with the onion and mushroom mixture.  Place the tenderloin in the middle of the puff pastry and cover with the cooled onion mushroom mixture.  Fold up the pastry around the meat and seal all of the edges.  Cut a few slits in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Put your Wellington masterpiece in a 9 x 13 baking dish and using a brush, paint your masterpiece with the egg yolk.  Place it in the oven and roast at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 400 degrees and continue roasting for an additional 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, check the internal temperature by inserting an instant read meat thermometer through one of the slits on the top.  The internal temp should be 125.  By this time the puff pastry should be a nice golden brown as well.  Remove from the oven and let rest a minimum of 10 minutes before slicing.

Combine the wine from deglazing and the veal or beef stock in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil of high heat.  Continue to boil until it has reduced in volume by at least 1/4.   Serve with the Beef Wellington. 

Bon Apetit!!!