I first tried Beef Wellington when I was about 10 years old. My Mom brought me along on a business trip to Las Vegas, and we went to a “fancy” restaurant. I don’t know what compelled me to try it- maybe it was the description on the menu or the waiter’s pitch, but I will certainly never forget that meal. Tender filet mignon was wrapped in pastry. And there was a sauce drizzled on top. It was pure heaven for a simple ten year old. What was my mother thinking letting me order something so grande?! I’m so glad she did. Those kinds of food memories are what help shape you into the eater you become. I’ve always been open to trying new and different types of foods. I can thank Mom for that, I guess.
About Beef Wellington:
Its origins are English, though there’s no real evidence that it was connected to Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington (as you would assume). Meat baked in pastry was definitely part of English cuisine though there are similarities to French versions of this sort of dish as well. Beef Wellington is essentially a preparation of beef filet coated with mushroom paté. It’s then wrapped in pastry and baked. A sauce is drizzled on top. Wellington can also be prepared with sausage and salmon, and there are even some vegetarian versions out there.
How done do you like your beef? If you like it prepared to medium rare, that’s what you’ll find in this recipe. If you are worried about the temperature and doneness without being able to check on it, you can insert an instant read thermometer into the center of the beef (right through the puff pastry), and it should read 135 degrees F. to be medium rare when served. Bake it a little longer if you prefer it more done. The lovely thing about Beef Wellingtons is cutting into them. The sight of perfectly cooked beef is a good sight indeed! Remember that it’s coated with a mushroom paté, and that is a terrific pairing. This recipe adds in a bit of Gorgonzola cheese too, though you could leave it out if you don’t care for it. The Madeira wine sauce puts it all over the top.
This is the sort of dish you make for a special occasion. It’s not low in fat or calories, and it’s quite expensive and time intensive to make. It’s all worth it, I promise! A special treat once in a while is perfectly fine. Beef Wellingtons came full circle for me in college when I worked for a catering company. We prepared both Beef and Salmon Wellingtons for fancy dinner parties, and it was fun to serve them and watch the reactions of the clients as they sat down to dinner. Everyone loves an amazing, elegant meal like this.
Here are a few more recipes that use Madeira wine:
Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Madeira Sauce Tagliatelle with Wild Mushroom Sauce Easy Madeira Cake Polynesian Chicken Wings Madeira Beef Stew
