This is the fourth segment of the Valentine’s Day meal preparations.
Three previous posts in this five-part Valentine’s Day segment located here:
First Course: Roasted Garlic Oysters in a Brown Butter Glaze
Second Course: Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Palate Cleanser: Blackberry Lemon Sorbet
Valentine’s Day – Main Course: Beef Wellington 
I looooove beef. Love it. It is my favorite flavor to play with. That is why we are using an elegant cut of beef for this part of the Valentine’s day menu. You can do this as individual pieces or one larger piece.
I found out, while shopping for this post, that my butcher has filet mignon cut in perfect couple’s size, ready to go, every day.
Okay, break out the lingerie and/or apron one more time and let’s get started on some romance.
To save you time between stages, chop, cut and prepare all your ingredients up front. This will prevent your puff pastry from being too stiff and your prosciutto from being too pliable. There is a fine balance in the beauty.
Enjoy.
Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.
GOOD FOOD. GOOD FRIENDS. GOOD TIMES
Beef Wellington
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Ingredients
Beef:
6 ounces filet mignon
1 garlic clove, sliced
¼ cup butter
½ cup mushrooms, minced
10 slices prosciutto
salt & pepper, to taste
Mushroom Brandy Sauce:
½ cup onion, chopped
3 mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup red wine, full body
8 ounces beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper, to taste
Pastry:
1 recipe of puff pastry (if using boxed puff pastry, bring one sheet to room temperature and one sheet refrigerated)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Beef:
- Rub each filet with salt, pepper and garlic. Saute filet, in butter, 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove filet and wrap tightly in saran wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Saute chopped mushrooms in leftover butter. Remove from pan and let cool.
- Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and put out prosciutto, overlapping pieces in a pattern that will cover your entire filet. Spread mushrooms, in an even paste, over prosciutto.
- Place filet on prosciutto/mushroom sheet. Using the edges of plastic wrap, roll prosciutto until it covers the entire filet. Wrap tightly and chill for 30 minutes.
Pastry:
- Roll out pastry dough to a big enough square to cover entire filet. Unwrap prosciutto covered filet and place in the center of the puff pastry.
- Carefully pull dough over filet and seal seam by brushing with egg.
- Cut out decorative accents from refrigerated puff pastry and attach to pastry wrapped beef by brushing pieces with egg.
- Place in a greased baking pan (with a rim) and brush entire surface with egg.
- Bake at 425 Farenheight for 20-25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
- Serve with heated mushroom sauce.
Mushroom Sauce:
- While pastry is cooking, using same skillet, add mushrooms and onions to medium heat and cook. Stir in flour and gradually add wine, broth and bay leaf.
- Stir until sauce bubbles and is thickened.
- When beef is ready, remove sauce from heat and stir in salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Ladle sauce on the bottom of serving plate and then place finished beef in the center.
- Serve warm.
