3 1/2 lb beef fillet, tied and larded at ro, om temp
3/4 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 lb pate de foie gras, at room t mp
1 lb puff pastry
1 large egg white, beaten
1 large egg yolk beaten with
1 tsp water
1/2 cup sercial madeira
2 tsp arrowroot, dissolved in
1 tbsp cold water
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tbsp black truffles, finely chopp d
1 watercress for garnish
Directions
In a roasting pan, roast the beef in the middle of a preheated 400f
oven for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 120f.
Let the fillet cool completely and discard the larding fat and
strings. Skim the fat from the pan juices and reserve the juices. In
a heavy skillet, cook the mushrooms in butter over mod-low heat,
stirring, until all liquid they give off is evaporated and the
mixture is dry. Season with salt and pepper and let cool completely.
Spread the fillet evenly with foie gras, covering the top and sides,
and spread the mushrooms evenly over the foie gras. On a floured
surface, roll one lb. of puff pastry into a rectangle about 20x12
inches, or large enough to enclose the roast completely. Invert the
fillet in the middle of the pastry and fold up the long sides to
enclose it, brushing the edges of the dough with some egg white to
seal them. Fold the ends of the dough over the fillet and seal with
the egg white. Transfer the fillet, seam side down, to a jelly-roll
pan and brush the dough with egg wash. Roll out additional dough and
cut out shapes with which to decorate the dough. After applying,
brush with egg wash. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
Bake the fillet in the middle of a preheated 400f oven for 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350f and bake an additional 5-10 minutes more or
until a meat thermometer registers 130f for medium rare meat and the
pastry is cooked through. Let stand for 15 minutes. In a saucepan,
boil the reserved pan juices and the Madeira until the mixture is
reduced by one fourth. Add the arrowroot mixture, broth, truffles,
and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the sauce over moderate heat,
stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened, being careful not to let
it boil. Loosen the fillet from the pan, transfering it to a heated
platter. Garnish with watercress. Serve the fillet cut into 3/4-inch
thick slices, with the sauce. a 1966 Gourmet Mag. favorite.
Servings: 8 servings
Beef Wellington (Gourmet Mag) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Beef; Gourmet; Meat
The History of Recipes
Food historians have tracked the existence of recipes back into antiquity, in fact as far back into recorded history as the ancient Egyptians, and potentially, even further back. Interesting though that is, in the main part, these ancient cookbooks were just simple hieroglyphic or cunieform recipes for preparing meals.
Fascinatingly, the most ancient recipe in existence, according to experts are some stone tablets in Sumerian which show the baking of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making anyone who drank it feel blissful. As we move into The time of the roman empire 25BC a man called Apicius compiled a collection of scripts showing how to cook the recipes enjoyed by wealthy Romans. In his works, he describes how the meals of wealthy Romans were divided into hors d`oeuvres, main course and desserts, a style of dining still practiced today. Aspicius also recounts how the Romans used a wide range of spices and herbs, including many that are still in use today such as bay, fennel and dill. In the 15th century, the Crusaders brought back a variety of spices and herbs from Arab countries, including spices like parsley and basil. These new foods and tastes caused a torrent in books on cooking, many of which are now in academic collections. Over the next few centuries, the wealthy families of the West strove to serve the most exotic banquets, and as a consequence, the best chefs and their recipe collections became highly prized. However, it wasn`t until the nineteenth century that fine cooking and recipe collections rose to prominence. Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Merritt Farmer in the US, devoted their lives to assembling, testing, and recording the recipes that were being prepared for the better households. By the arrival of the twentieth century, cooking books were greatly in demand mostly due to more people being able to read, people having increased leisure time and disposable income. The introduction of television brought us TV chefs and the accompanying recipe books. Which brings us neatly to the present day and the internet revolution, permitting everybody to access thousands of recipes just like those on this site. |
We hope you enjoy this Beef Wellington (Gourmet Mag) recipe.
